The federal education budget in Pakistan has plunged to an all-time low, now standing at a mere 0.8% of the country’s GDP. This sharp decline reflects a deep-rooted neglect for a sector that should be at the heart of every government’s agenda. Education, a fundamental pillar for sustainable development and economic resilience, has consistently been sidelined despite repeated promises of reform and progress.
This downward trend in education spending began in 2018, a year that marked the beginning of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government’s tenure. At that time, education accounted for 2% of the GDP. Although the PTI administration claimed to champion the cause of the common citizen, its financial allocations told a different story. Budget increases in education remained superficial, with real-term investments shrinking as a share of GDP. The successive governments — including those of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) — were vocal in their criticism of this decline. Yet, once in power, they too continued the same pattern of neglect.
The contradiction is especially glaring in the case of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who declared an “education emergency” with considerable fanfare. Despite this, the federal government slashed education spending by 29% in the first nine months of FY25. The budget dropped from Rs1,251.06 billion to a meagre Rs899.6 billion, a move starkly at odds with the urgency implied by the prime minister’s declaration. This is particularly troubling when contrasted with the United Nations’ recommendation for countries to allocate between 4% and 6% of their GDP to education.
Compounding this crisis is a simultaneous and significant rise in defence expenditure. Following heightened tensions along the borders, the government approved a 20% hike in the defence budget — the largest increase in a decade. While safeguarding national borders is unquestionably important, neglecting education funding undermines long-term national security. Research has consistently shown that every additional year of schooling can increase individual earnings by 9% and drive broader economic growth. An uneducated population, conversely, increases vulnerability to poverty, instability, and extremism.
Adding to the strain on national finances is the ballooning cost of debt servicing, which now consumes over half of the federal budget. This leaves minimal fiscal space for essential public services such as education, health, and infrastructure. Social services are being crowded out by the weight of repayments, creating a zero-sum contest between the bureaucracy, military, and civilian welfare sectors.
While debt control is necessary, the most effective long-term strategy to reduce it is through inclusive and sustained economic development — a goal only achievable with a skilled and educated population. Sadly, Pakistan’s policymakers seem unwilling or unable to look beyond short-term political gains. Their failure to invest in education today will cost the country dearly tomorrow, not only in lost opportunities but also in deepening cycles of inequality and instability.
Shafaqna Pakistan
pakistan.shafaqna.com
Note: Shafaqna do not endorse the views expressed in the article
