A total of 83 percent children between the ages of six and 16, are enrolled in schools as compared to 81 percent in 2016, stated the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2018 which was released on Tuesday. The report was compiled by Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi in joint cooperation of many civil society and partner bodies including the Democratic Commission for Human Development, Community Research & Development Organisation, Community Motivation & Development Organisation, Development Alternatives, Hamza Development Foundation, Society for Human Development , EHED Foundation. According to the report, 11,000 educated volunteers/citizens, visited 154 districts in 4,527 villages. The findings were based on the information gathered from 89,966 households and 260,069 children of ages three-16. For the year 2018, the ASER rural survey assessed 196,253 children of five-16 years of age cohort in English and Arithmetic competencies. The report aimed to inform the progress or lack thereof with respect to Article 25 A of the Constitution making education a fundamental right for five-16 year olds since 2010 and also for tracking progress towards Sustainable Development Goals 4 measuring learning at the lower primary level. According to the report, the proportion of out-of-school children has decreased as compared to 2016. In 2018, 17 percent children were reported to be out-of-school. It stated that nationally, there is a constant gender gap in out-of-school children but still with more girls than boys not being enrolled or have dropped out of school. Early childhood education was also assessed in the report. It said that from 2014, when the enrolment was recorded at 39 percent, it declined to 37 percent in 2015 and 36 in 2016 rising to 37 percent in 2018 again in rural Pakistan. “Overall, government schools have witnessed a surge of 8 percent in enrolment for ECE, whereas private sector holds 29 percent of total enrolment,” it recalled. The quality of education, in the report, claimed to have improved than the past. Published in Daily Times, February 20th 2019.