Despite progress in some regions, a large number of schools across Pakistan continue to operate without basic necessities such as electricity, clean drinking water, and toilets — exposing deep-rooted infrastructural inequalities in the country’s education system.
The Economic Survey 2024-25 released by the government on Monday highlights that 23% of schools nationwide still lack electricity, with the situation particularly dire in Sindh, Balochistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Disparities across provinces
The survey presents a mixed picture of the availability of utilities in educational institutions across Pakistan:
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Electricity access:
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Federal territory: 100% of schools have electricity.
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Punjab: 99% of schools are electrified.
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Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP): 85% of primary schools have electricity.
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Sindh: Only 31% of schools have electricity; at the primary level, just 27% have access to power.
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Balochistan: A worrying 15% of schools are electrified.
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Azad Kashmir: 32% have electricity.
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Gilgit-Baltistan (GB): 59% of primary schools have power access.
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Also Read: Pakistan records 2.7% GDP growth in 2025: Fin min releases economic survey
Clean drinking water and toilets
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Nationwide, 76% of schools provide clean drinking water, while 78% have toilet facilities.
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Federal territory: 100% of institutions offer clean water and toilet access.
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Punjab: Also reports 100% access to drinking water and 99% to toilets.
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Sindh: Just 58% of schools have clean drinking water; toilet facilities are available in 57% of institutions.
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KP: 89% of schools provide clean water and 87% have toilets.
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Balochistan: Only 29% of schools offer clean water and 21% have toilet facilities.
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Azad Kashmir: 37% of institutions have clean water, while 54% offer toilet access.
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GB: Clean water is available in 77% of schools, and 80% have toilets.
Also Read: Pakistan’s school enrollment falls, as literacy rate stands at 60.6%
The Economic Survey concludes that while regions like Punjab and the federal territory ensure better provision of basic facilities, much of Pakistan’s schooling system still operates under resource-starved conditions, undermining the country’s broader educational goals.
