Over 1m kids may drop out of schools after pandemic Islamabad April 9, 2021 Islamabad : Pakistan no longer has the luxury to focus on bringing the colossal pre-pandemic figure of 22.8 million out-of-school children into schools but must now actively strategize to prevent a roll-back on important gains made vis-à-vis education, especially girls’ access to education in the last decade. Inaction can result in millions of more Pakistani children dropping-out of schools.” These views were expressed by Areebah Shahid, Executive Director Pakistan Youth Change Advocates (PYCA) at the launch of the #InvestInEducationStrengthenPakistan campaign. Education activists, influencers and media personalities from around the country gathered for the virtual event. The aim was to garner the support of key influencers from all walks of life to ensure that education and the future of over 80 million Pakistani children does not take a backseat during COVID-19.