Pakistan's Ghost Schools Problem

Pakistan's ghost schools represent the worst return on education investment in the region, with $1.2 billion annually lost to phantom institutions. An estimated 12,000 schools exist only on paper, yet teachers continue collecting salaries for empty buildings and nonexistent students. This rampant corruption outperforms even #8 Chile's voucher system in wasting funds, as no instructional value is delivered at all. A 2025 audit revealed that 30% of allocated classroom furniture never reached any school, while 15% of registered teachers had never taught a single lesson. The absence of accountability leaves 2.5 million children officially enrolled in schools that do not function.