Why Education and Why Pakistan

Education is a universal right for which we share a global responsibility. Pakistan has the world’s third highest out-of-school population with five million children failing to enrol.

Despite the increase in access to education, nearly half of Pakistani children drop out of school before the age of 16. One in three children has not completed primary education. Girls drop out at twice the rate of boys, lowering female literacy rates in some areas to a mere 8%. With 60% of Pakistan’s population living on less than $1 a day, meaningful education is the only viable pathway to socio-economic empowerment. Each additional year of schooling increases an individual’s earnings by 10%.

Girls who complete primary education are less likely to get married before 18 or become victims of domestic abuse and have fewer children. Also, the child of an educated mother is 50% more likely to live past the age of 5.

The DIL Model

A DIL education gives children the knowledge, attitudes, and skills they need to build better lives for themselves, their families, and their communities. DIL works through a four-pronged approach by:

The DIL Difference

DIL programs are transforming lives and changing communities. The following indicators demonstrate how DIL is promoting engagement in learning, addressing gender disparity, and leading to better academic and life outcomes.

Indicators	DIL	Pakistan’s average
Drop-out rate	0.57%	41%
Female enrolment rate	65%	49%
Reading stories in English by Grade 4	44%	0%
Primary school completion	99%	57%
Transition to middle school	97%	65%
Transition to high school	88%	14%
Trained teachers in the classroom	Teachers receive 80 hours of training a year	Teachers trained once in seven years