At freedom, Pakistan had a poorly educated population and few schools or universities. Although the education system has expanded greatly since then, debate continues about the curriculum, and, except in a few elite institutions, quality remained a crucial concern of educators in the early 1990s.

Only 65 % of adult Pakistanis are literate. The constitution prescribes free primary education. While enrollment rate in primary school is high for boys, less than one-half of girls attend school. Five years has been accomplished as the time of primary school attendance.In the 1996 school year 81 % of primary school-aged children were listed in school, while only 30 % of secondary school-aged children attended. In the early 1990s, 336,600 students attended institutions of higher education. Among Pakistan�s leading universities are the University of Karachi (1951), the University of the Punjab (1882), in Lahore; the University of Peshawar (1950); the University of Sind (1947), in Dadu; and the University of Agriculture (1909), in Faisalabad.