Pakistan’s literacy rate is currently 57 per cent. This is lower than the literacy rates of Bangladesh and India. The rate is currently rising by less than one percentage point per annum. At this rate, it will take more than four decades for Pakistan to achieve near full literacy for its population aged 10 years and above. Behind the low literacy rate is the crisis in primary education. The net enrolment rate of children aged five to nine years stands at only 57 per cent. This figure has shown little increase over the last five years. Added to this is the fact that around 25 million children are out of school.