An education specialist at UNICEF, Asif Abrar, recently pointed out that Pakistan tops the worldwide list of out of school children, outlining how this should be treated as no less than an education emergency. Based on UNICEF data, approximately 22.8 million children aged 5-16 in Pakistan do not attend school, accounting for 44 percent of the population in this age range. The unprecedented rains and floods last year had caused large-scale migrations and caused massive damage to school buildings, which ultimately affected the education of children in this age group. The exodus of the masses from flood-affected areas has intensified the dropout ratio of children, which makes it impossible to achieve educational targets and outcomes. Access and connectivity still remain an issue in many parts, which is essential for distance learning programs.
