Education Sector — Peshawar Division
Five districts — Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Khyber, and Mohmand — public schools, colleges, universities, literacy, and out-of-school children (ages 5–16).
This data is for the entire Peshawar Division (5 districts).
Formal public schools
Total5,502Division-wide census of public schools in the formal sector. The four levels listed sum to 5,502.
Colleges & universities
Total colleges: 114+ (48 male · 52 female · 14 commerce). Universities: 19 (12 public + 7 private).
Key universities
- University of Peshawar (public)
- Khyber Medical University (public)
- University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar (public)
- Agriculture University, Peshawar (public)
- Islamia College University (public)
- Imshaal University (private)
- CECOS University (private)
- Fast-NUCES, Peshawar Campus (private)
Formal public schools by level
| Level | Schools |
|---|---|
| Primary | 3,845 |
| Middle | 760 |
| High | 721 |
| Higher Secondary | 176 |
| Division total (all formal public) | 5,502 |
Schools by level
Primary schools account for the vast majority of formal public institutions in the division.
Colleges (division)
| Type | Count |
|---|---|
| Male Colleges | 48 |
| Female Colleges | 52 |
| Commerce Colleges | 14 |
| Total | 114+ |
Colleges by type
Literacy (ages 10+)
| District | Overall | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peshawar | 53.0% | 68.0% | 37.0% |
| Nowshera | 56.7% | 72.0% | 41.0% |
| Charsadda | 51.0% | 67.0% | 34.0% |
| Khyber | 49.4% | 63.5% | 31.0% |
| Mohmand | 31.3% | 46.0% | 15.0% |
Female literacy remains critically low across former tribal districts, with Mohmand at only 15.0%.
Overall literacy by district
Highest: Nowshera (56.7%). Lowest: Mohmand (31.3%).
Out-of-school children (ages 5–16)
Alongside school, college, and university counts, out-of-school statistics matter for policy focus. School-age children are typically 5–16 years. The sections below summarize district-level patterns, then division-wide totals.
Peshawar District
Out-of-school count: Over 500,000 children.
Urban: at least 26% male · 38% female
Rural: 31% male · 54% female
Combined: 28% male · 46% female · 37% total
Nowshera District
Urban: at least 19% male · 25% female
Rural: 22% male · 39% female
Combined: 20% male · 32% female · 26% total
Charsadda District
Urban: at least 18% male · 28% female
Rural: 23% male · 43% female
Combined: 21% male · 36% female · 28% total
Khyber District (NMD)
Urban: at least 28% male · 52% female
Rural: 38% male · 74% female
Combined: 33% male · 63% female · 48% total
Mohmand District (NMD)
Urban: N/A (highly rural administrative setup)
Rural: 39% male · 71% female
Combined: 39% male · 71% female · 55% total
Peshawar Division — out-of-school children (5–16 years)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Total children (5–16) | ~2.91 million |
| Male out of school | 28% (~407,400 boys) |
| Female out of school | 49% (~710,500 girls) |
| Total out of school | 33.5% (~1,117,900 children) |
| Worst district (rate) | Mohmand (55%) |
| Best district (rate) | Nowshera (26%) |