5.4 million between 10 and 14 attend lower secondary school, and 3 million go to higher secondary schools. The situation is especially alarming in rural areas due to social and cultural obstacles. One of the most deplorable aspects is that in some places, particularly northern tribal areas, the education of girls is strictly prohibited on religious grounds. The situation is the most critical in NWFP and Baluchistan, where the female literacy rate stands between 3 per cent and 8 per cent. Some government organizations and non-governmental organizations have tried to open formal and informal schools in these areas, but the local landlords, even when they have little or nothing to do with religion or religious parties, oppose such measures, apparently out of fear that people who become literate will cease to follow them with blind faith.
Poverty is also a big hurdle in girls' education.
Indeed, children working as domestic help is a common phenomenon in Pakistan, and this sector employs more girls than boys. But Khanzadi is miserable. At first her job was only to look after the baby , but as she grew older , the other servant in charge of housecleaning and cooking was dismissed and Jamila was asked to do all the work. I want to go to school like other children, but my parents can't afford it. So I have to work and help support my family, she said.