The organisation urges the Pakistan government to ramp up investments in quality education for all girls.
Malala Fund expresses deep concern over the slashing of Pakistan’s federal education budget for FY 2025-26, warning that it undermines efforts to expand education access for six million girls currently missing out on secondary school.
The total federal allocation to education, including basic and higher education, dropped 44% from PKR 103.8 billion in FY 2024-25 to PKR 58 billion in the newly announced budget. Although provincial education budgets have yet to be released, the federal budget will leave the country far short of meeting the global benchmark of 4% of GDP for education spending.
“I am disheartened that the federal budget does not invest nearly enough in girls’ futures. I am worried about the six million Pakistani girls who are missing out on their secondary education,” said Malala Yousafzai, co-founder of Malala Fund. “The federal and provincial governments must reverse the trend of underfunding and commit to fund quality education for every girl in the country.”
While Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif declared a 2024 “Education Emergency” that pledged to raise the education budget from 1.7% to 4% of GDP over five years, taskforce delays and stalled progress have raised doubts about political will to meet the targets.
Amid mounting insecurity and debilitating debt, cuts to education undermine the country’s stability and development. In FY 2024-25, more than half of Pakistan’s national budget went to interest and debt repayments, and less than 2% of GDP went to education. Chronic underinvestment in education is denying girls’ opportunities to contribute to national growth: with only 24% of women participating in the workforce, the country is missing out on billions in lost productivity. Studies also show that education plays a critical role in building long-lasting peace.
In its new five-year strategy, Malala Fund is doubling down on its commitment to drive systemic change for girls in Pakistan. Building on the $15 million the organisation has invested in the country over the last decade, the organisation is working with local partners to protect girls’ right to learn and unlock education resources through:
Ensuring government funding improves girls’ access to secondary education in rural areas.
Calling for greater government efforts to recruit female teachers in rural areas.
Advocating for policies to reduce the cost of girls' secondary schooling for families in rural areas.
However, Malala Fund’s efforts to ensure all girls can complete 12 years of school rely on political will and action — lasting change is only possible by securing robust public funding for girls’ education.
