PESHAWAR: A new report from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Department of Education revealed a staggering dropout rate among children in government schools across the integrated tribal districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. According to the report, which covers the period from 2019 to 2024, nearly 47 percent of enrolled children have left school.
The data shows that of the 91,032 children who started school in the merged tribal districts in 2019, only 48,670 reached the fifth grade. Shockingly, 42,362 children—almost half of those initially enrolled—dropped out before completing primary education.
The situation is particularly severe for girls. In 2019, there were 35,755 girls enrolled in first grade across these districts, but only 16,421 progressed to the fifth grade, reflecting a dropout rate of 56 percent. The merged areas have seen more than half of the girls leave school between grades one and five.
Among the merged districts, South Waziristan has the highest dropout rate, with 66 percent of children leaving their education within five years, followed closely by Mohmand district with a 64 percent dropout rate.
The report also highlights significant challenges beyond primary education. The dropout rate for students from classes six to ten stands at 39 percent. Of the 27,780 students who enrolled in class six in 2019, only 16,972 advanced to class ten.
These alarming statistics underscore the urgent need for targeted interventions to address the educational crisis in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s tribal districts, with a particular focus on improving support for girls’ education and enhancing student retention through to higher grades.
