Equitable Education Financing in Pakistan: A Primer

Pakistan has historically spent under 2% of GDP on education—less than half the international benchmark—and what little is allocated is distributed unevenly and inefficiently. This primer maps the current state of education financing, the disparities between rich and poor regions, and the structural problems that leave the poorest children with the fewest resources. It outlines the challenges, existing initiatives, and the pathways toward a financing model that is adequate, equitable, and genuinely reaches the classroom.

Key highlights/findings

Pakistan spends less than half the internationally recommended share of GDP on education and the poorest children pay the price.

Budget increases don’t always translate into results. Large portions of education funds go unspent every year.

Balochistan gets some of the least funding relative to its needs and it shows in literacy rates and school conditions.

Girls’ stipend programmes exist but don’t reach all eligible girls, and the amounts often don’t keep up with inflation.