ABSTRACT

Education is universally recognized as a fundamental human right and plays a vital role in eradicating poverty, reducing social inequalities, and fostering sustainable human development. Despite Pakistan’s constitutional and policy commitments, including Article 25- A and Vision 2025 targets, the challenge of out-of-school children (OOSC) persists at alarming levels. Islamabad alone has over 89,000 OOSC, reflecting systemic failures in policy formulation, governance, and implementation. This study examines the structural and policy breaches that hinder the achievement of universal education, with a specific focus on the Islamabad Capital Territory. A qualitative research design was followed, and data was collected through purposive sampling of 16 key informants, including policymakers, education experts, NGO representatives, development partners, and teachers. Thematic analysis revealed that there are multiple barriers, such as a lack of political will, elite resistance to inclusive reforms, inadequate financing, misallocation of resources, centralized decision-making, weak monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, socio-economic constraints, and gender-based disparities. Existing policies were found to prioritize inputs and infrastructure over outcomes such as retention, learning gains, and teacher quality. The study also explores the potential role of Social Impact Bonds (SIBs) as an innovative public–private partnership financing model that links disbursements to measurable educational outcomes. Findings suggest that effective adoption of SIBs requires institutional reforms, procurement law amendments, reliable data systems, and independent outcome verification mechanisms. The research concludes that overcoming the OOSC crisis demands a paradigm shift from symbolic political commitments to evidence-based, outcome-focused, and community-driven policy approaches. Implementing such reforms, supported by innovative financing models, can significantly improve enrollment, retention,  and  learning  outcomes,  advancing  Pakistan’s  progress  toward  national  and international education commitments.