Pakistan, April 26 -- Out-of-school children are not only an education issue. They are a national challenge, a social concern and a development emergency. When a child remains outside the classroom, the loss is not limited to one family. The whole society loses talent, confidence, productivity and future leadership. Pakistan today faces one of the biggest education challenges in the region, with around 26.21 million children aged 5 to 16 out of school. This means that millions of children are growing up without formal learning, without basic literacy and numeracy, and without the protection and opportunity that education provides.

The problem exists across the country. Punjab has the highest number, with around 11.73 million out-of-schoo...