Islamabad: Young Pakistanis are spending more years in school than they did two decades ago, but the country still lags behind its neighbors in terms of educational attainment, particularly among young women. According to Gallup Pakistan Digital Analytics, which analyzed data from the Pakistan Labour Force Survey and benchmarked it against India’s NFHS-5 and Bangladesh’s DHS 2022, there has been a steady but uneven increase in the average years of schooling for those aged 18 to 30.

The analysis reveals that while the average schooling for young women in Pakistan has increased from 4.2 to 6.4 years and for young men from 6.2 to 7.9 years, the country continues to trail behind both India and Bangladesh. In India, young women average 9.3 years of schooling, and in Bangladesh, 8.5 years, compared to 6.4 years in Pakistan. Among young men, the averages are 10.2 years in India, 8.1 years in Bangladesh, and 7.9 years in Pakistan.

A significant issue in Pakistan is ensuring that girls remain in school to complete basic education. Around 34% of young Pakistani women have never received any formal education, compared to 17% of young men. However, among those who reach university, the gender gap nearly disappears, with similar proportions of young women and men holding a bachelor’s degree or higher.

Provincial disparities are also evident, with Punjab nearing gender parity in secondary education completion, while Balochistan shows significant disparities. The findings underscore that Pakistan’s education challenge is less about university participation and more about maintaining girls’ school attendance through secondary education. The experiences of neighboring countries demonstrate that sustained investment in girls’ education can considerably narrow these gaps.

This analysis was conducted by Gallup Pakistan Digital Analytics using data from the Pakistan Labour Force Survey and benchmarked against regional surveys. It highlights the educational challenges facing young adults aged 18-30 years across South Asia.