Balochistan’s education indicators paint a grim picture. With a literacy rate of just 26.6%—less than half the national average—the province lags decades behind the rest of the country. Primary school enrollment hovers at 58%, but the gender gap is staggering: only 34% of girls attend school, compared to 52% of boys, according to the 2022–23 Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement Survey (PSLM). In districts like Washuk and Kharan, female literacy dips below 10%, perpetuating cycles of early marriage and economic dependency. The crisis begins with crumbling infrastructure. Over 60% of government schools lack electricity, 45% operate without clean water, and 30% have no boundary walls, exposing students to harsh weather and security threats. In rural areas, children trek up to 10 kilometers daily to reach the nearest school, often crossing treacherous terrain. “Our school has no roof. When it rains, we sit under a tree,” says Abdul Qadir, a teacher in Pishin. “Many students drop out by winter.”

Classrooms, where they exist, are overcrowded, with a pupil-teacher ratio of 50:1—far above the national average of 37:1. Teacher absenteeism is rampant, and qualified educators are scarce. Female teachers make up just 27% of........

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