Karachi: Pakistan’s education system has made significant strides in enrolling children with disabilities, yet it remains ill-equipped to support their learning needs effectively. According to Gallup Pakistan’s Big Data series, while 89% of children aged 6-16 with functional disabilities are now attending school, the availability of inclusive infrastructure, assistive support, and specialized staff remains limited, particularly in government institutions.

The analysis, based on ASER Pakistan 2025 data, highlights critical gaps in accessibility, assistive devices, and specialized support, indicating that inclusion is largely physical rather than functional. Despite high enrollment rates, essential resources such as ramps, accessible toilets, and assistive devices are inadequately provided, with only 26.9% of government schools offering ramps and a mere 4.5% providing assistive devices.

The disparities between government and private schools are notable, with the latter performing slightly better but still falling short of comprehensive inclusion. Only 20.3% of government schools have specialized staff to support diverse learning needs, and transport facilities, crucial for children with mobility challenges, are offered by just 3.6% of these institutions.

The data reveals that transport, an often-overlooked factor, remains a significant barrier to inclusion, particularly for children with disabilities in rural areas. Despite better performance in private schools, the overall low levels of support across both sectors indicate systemic issues.

Gilani Research Foundation underscores that while Pakistan has made progress in expanding access to education for children with disabilities, the focus must now shift from enrollment to the quality and effectiveness of inclusion. The report calls for comprehensive reform, integrating inclusive practices into the core functioning of the education system to enable all children to learn, participate, and thrive effectively.