Pakistan's education sector faced numerous challenges prior to 2003 as evidenced by various education statistics: - Literacy rates were low, with the total population literacy rate at 45.7%, ranking 185th out of 202 countries. Female literacy was even lower at 30.6%. - Government spending on education was only 2.3% of GDP, ranking 102nd out of 130 countries. - Female enrollment in primary education was just 35.9% and only 39.5% in secondary education, with over half of primary school-aged girls not attending school. - While progression to secondary level education was relatively high at 94.6%, pupils per teacher ratios and quality of education were still areas that needed improvement.

1. Education Sector Reforms
Education Statistics before 2003
Education Index
Statements Position
Average years of schooling of adults
Education spending 2.3% 102nd of 130
Female enrolment share - Primary level 35.9% 176th of 185
Female enrolment share - Secondary level 39.5% 153rd of 179
Literacy – Female 30.6% 171st of 184
Literacy – Male 59.8% 160th of 184
Literacy - Total population 45.7% 185th of 202
Primary school girls out of school 55% 16th of 109
Private school enrolment – Primary level 34.8% 18th of 155
Private school enrolment - Secondary level 22.4% 49th of 137
Progression to secondary level 94.6% 39th of 101
Pupils-teacher ratio - primary level 44.1% 24th of 184
Pupils-teacher ratio – secondary level 28.3% 18th of 125
School enrolment - Primary – Net 66.2% 127th of 168
Primary school girls out of school: 55% 16th of 109
Private school enrolment – Primary level 34.8% 18th of 155
Private school enrolment - Secondary level 22.4% 49th of 137
Progression to secondary level 94.6% 39th of 101
Pupils-teacher ratio - primary level 44.1% 24th of 184
Pupils-teacher ratio – secondary level: 28.3% 18th of 125

2. According to the International Crisis Group,
1. Pakistan is one of only 12 countries in the world that spends less
than 2 percent of its GDP on education.
2. The adult literacy rate in Pakistan is under 50 percent, while less
than one-third of adult women have a functional reading ability.
3. Even a short list of the problems Pakistan’s education system faces
today would include inadequate government investment, a shortage
of qualified teachers and poor teacher training, politicized curricula
that frequently promote intolerance and violence, insufficient
number and poor quality of textbooks and other teaching materials,
fraud and corruption, and weak institutional capacity at both the
central and local levels