Finding of nearly 20m out-of-school children: concern voiced

KARACHI: Maulana Bashir Farooq Qadri, Founder and Chairman of Saylani Welfare International Trust, has expressed deep concern over findings of the Household Integrated Economic Survey report, which states that nearly 20 million Pakistani children are still out of school. In a statement, he said that these figures clearly point to a grave education crisis in the country.

According to the report, 28 percent of children remain out of school, highlighting that the lack of facilities in government schools, poor education standards, and non-availability of teachers are forcing parents to refrain from enrolling their children in public schools.

He noted that the report’s finding that three out of every ten children are out of school indicates that credible welfare organisations, with government support, can effectively share this burden.

He said that for this purpose, NGO networks can be mobilized, and Saylani is fully prepared to offer its services. He further stated that in Punjab, the government has failed to bring out-of-school children back into schools, with the ratio still standing at 21 percent, while in Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa only three percent, and in Balochistan four percent of children have been enrolled in schools.

Maulana Bashir Farooq emphasized that this crisis can be controlled if the government collaborates with reputable welfare organizations under a public-private partnership framework.

According to him, schools operated with the support of welfare organizations have shown 100 percent positive and exemplary performance, where not only quality education is being provided but equal emphasis is placed on discipline, moral training, and modern skills.

He added that Saylani Welfare International Trust envisions a Pakistan where no child is deprived of education. To achieve this goal, thousands of children are being educated every year under Saylani’s education system in accordance with modern academic and religious requirements.

He appealed to the government to improve public schools while also benefiting from the experience and capacity of welfare organizations, so that the future of the nation can be secured and education can reach every child.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026