Competition in Governance and not on hollow high politics : Sindh failing miserably in gains in terms of education

Who Is Closing Pakistan’s Youth Literacy Gaps the Fastest?

Youth literacy has become a quiet scoreboard of provincial governance.

If youth literacy (ages 15–24) is the best indicator of how today’s education systems are performing, then the latest data reveal something important:
Provinces are not just improving — they are improving at very different speeds.

And those differences increasingly reflect governance choices, not history.

🇵🇰 Youth Literacy Gains (2018–19 → 2024–25): Province-wise
🥇 Balochistan – Fastest Improver
Overall youth literacy: 47% → 60% (+13 pp)
Male youth: 60% → 74% (+14 pp)
Female youth: 32% → 44% (+12 pp)
Urban youth: 61% → 71% (+10 pp)
Rural youth: 42% → 55% (+13 pp)
➡️ Lowest base, strongest momentum — especially in rural areas and among girls.

🥈 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – Female-Led Progress
Overall: 69% → 75% (+6 pp)
Male youth: 88% → 89% (+1 pp)
Female youth: 50% → 63% (+13 pp)
Urban: 79% → 84% (+5 pp)
Rural: 67% → 74% (+7 pp)
➡️ Progress is almost entirely driven by young women, particularly in rural KP.

🥉 Punjab – Steady but Uneven
Overall: 79% → 84% (+5 pp)
Male youth: 82% → 86% (+4 pp)
Female youth: 75% → 82% (+7 pp)
Urban: 88% → 90% (+2 pp)
Rural: 73% → 79% (+6 pp)
➡️ Strong system performance, but incremental gains, especially in cities.

⚠️ Sindh – Progress Concentrated, Not Broad
Overall: 64% → 66% (+2 pp)
Male youth: 73% → 73% (no change)
Female youth: 55% → 58% (+3 pp)
Urban: 80% → 79% (–1 pp)
Rural: 46% → 49% (+3 pp)
➡️ Gains exist, but pace lags and urban momentum has stalled.

🔍 What this competition tells us
Provinces starting from the lowest base (Balochistan, KP) are now improving the fastest
Female and rural youth are driving most of the national gains
High-performing provinces are plateauing, while lagging ones are catching up

Source: Household Integrated Economic Survey (HIES) 2018–19 & 2024–25, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics