Pakistan declared an ‘education emergency’ in 2024, yet the crisis continues to deepen. According to some data, Pakistan’s education spending as a share of GDP has fallen consistently from 2.0 per cent in 2018 down to just 0.8 per cent in 2025. This is not an emergency response; it is an abandonment. With 60.0 per cent of Pakistan’s population under the age of 30, the country holds one of the world’s largest youth cohorts. Failing to educate this generation does not just harm individuals it undermines Pakistan’s long term economic and social stability. If young people remain underserved, Pakistan’s GDP growth could stagnate. The government must urgently reverse education budget cuts and ensure that the ‘education emergency’ translates into real, measurable action and not just rhetoric.
Laiba Irfan
Lahore
