The true benchmark of a nation’s progress is not found in towering skyscrapers, modern roads or grand development projects; rather, it lies in its children receiving quality education. However, the revelation by the National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) that over 26,000 children in the federal capital, Islamabad, are out of school is deeply alarming and casts serious doubt on the state’s performance. These figures do not merely represent the educational deprivation of thousands of children; they reflect the systemic weaknesses of an apparatus that, despite its constitutional obligations, has failed to ensure education for every child.

Islamabad is considered the most well-organised and relatively resource-rich administrative territory in Pakistan. The city comprises 36 Union Councils, has a dedicated Ministry of Education and is served by the Federal Directorate of Education. It receives an annual budget running into billions of rupees, while a structured system exists at every level, from policy formulation to oversight. If, despite all this, more than 26,000 children remain out of school, it points not only to administrative failure but also raises serious questions about the government’s priorities and planning.

Yet, there appears to be little willingness to address this issue, nor is this critical matter being prioritised by the authorities. Across successive........

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