The 2023 census on government schools reveals significant changes in the education system over the past five years. According to the data, 96 government schools were closed between 2019 and 2023, while the number of students decreased by 178,965. Additionally, the number of teachers in the system fell by 8,803 during the same period.
Overview of the 2023 School Census
In 2023, there were 10,096 government schools across the country, consisting of 396 national schools and 9,700 provincial council schools. The total student population in these schools was 3,882,688, with 830,021 students in the national schools and 3,052,667 in provincial schools. Among the students, 1,923,591 were male, and 1,959,097 were female.
The teaching workforce in government schools numbered 237,789, comprising 56,570 male teachers and 181,217 female teachers.
Comparative Statistics: 2019 and 2022
- 2019 Census:
There were 10,165 government schools with a total of 4,061,653 students, including 2,019,005 male and 2,042,648 female students. The teaching cadre stood at 246,592, with 184,125 female teachers. - 2022 Census:
The number of active government schools decreased to 10,126, with 20 provincial schools closing that year. The student population also dropped to 3,969,597, of which 3,135,011 were in provincial schools. The teaching staff declined to 236,731, including 179,921 female teachers and 56,817 male teachers.
School Size and Distribution in 2023
The 2023 census highlighted disparities in school size:
- Small Schools:
- 1,506 schools had fewer than 50 students.
- 1,638 schools had 51–100 students.
- 2,128 schools had 101–200 students.
- 2,638 schools had 201–500 students.
Overall, 7,910 schools had fewer than 500 students, accounting for a significant proportion of the total.
- Larger Schools:
- 1,309 schools had 501–1,000 students.
- 379 schools had 1,001–1,500 students.
- 200 schools had 1,501–2,000 students.
- 198 schools had 2,001–3,000 students.
- 67 schools had 3,001–4,000 students.
- 33 schools reported fewer than 4,000 students.
Five-Year Trends
The closure of 96 schools, predominantly provincial, reflects a decline in student enrollment and teacher availability. This trend underscores the challenges facing the education sector, including the need to address disparities in school size and resource allocation.
The 2023 census offers critical insights into the state of the education system and highlights the urgent need for strategic interventions to ensure equitable access to quality education.
