What was your first book? Your favorite book in elementary school? Do you remember what the first word you read was?
Most children in the United States know how to read by 6–7 years of age, with some learning as early as 3. That milestone — so ordinary in much of the world — is out of reach for millions of children in Pakistan.
A Crisis Hidden in Plain Sight
According to a study by the Pak Alliance for Maths and Science, an estimated 20 million Pakistani children aged 5–16 are out of school, with 51% of them being between 5–9 years of age. These years are especially critical — children are developing millions of new neural connections every second. It is the perfect time to acquire language, basic numerical skills, and learn to read.
Only 35% of Pakistani children attain basic literacy skills by age 9 — meaning even those enrolled in school are not guaranteed an effective education.
A lack of education — specifically low literacy rates — has been linked to various societal issues including crime, shorter life expectancy, gender inequality, poverty, and an overall deficient political and economic system that impacts every facet of an individual's life.
Rural vs. Urban: A Staggering Gap
The disparity between rural and urban areas is alarming: 78% of out-of-school children are in rural areas, compared to 44% in urban areas. Children in remote villages face the greatest barriers — distance, poverty, cultural norms, and a lack of nearby schools all compound to keep them from the classroom.
What Rehmat-O-Noor Is Doing
Rehmat-O-Noor is committed to eliminating these issues through providing high-quality education to children across Pakistan — especially in rural areas. With the help of our partner company, TAKMIL, and generous donors, Rehmat-O-Noor has already established two schools. With your help, this number will continue increasing and the issues above will continue decreasing.
Source: Pak Alliance for Maths and Science. U.S. News & World Report (reading age data).