Demographic and Economic Determinants of Educational Equity: A Study on Numeracy and Science Proficiency Across Pakistan's Provinces

This study explores the impact of demographic and economic factors on the numeracy skills of students across different provinces in Pakistan, with a particular focus on understanding regional disparities and educational equity. The investigation involved a comprehensive survey administered to Grade 4 and Grade 8 students, assessing their mathematical and scientific proficiency alongside demographic data. The findings reveal significant regional disparities in student performance, with Punjab consistently outperforming other provinces, particularly Balochistan and KP & NMD, which exhibit notably lower scores.The results show that Grade 4 students nationally answered 49% of mathematics items correctly, while Grade 8 students demonstrated a decline, with only 41.6% correct responses. This decline suggests increasing challenges in numeracy as students’progress through their education. In science, Grade 8 students performed better overall, with an average score of 51.3%, indicating that science education may be more engaging or effectively taught compared to mathematics.The study underscores the influence of socio-economic status (SES) on academic performance, with students from lower SES backgrounds generally performing worse than their peers. Factors such as parental education, family income, and regional educational resources play a critical role in shaping students' numeracy skills. The research highlights the need for targeted interventions to address educational inequities, particularly in underperforming regions like Balochistan and KP & NMD. Recommendations include improving resource allocation, enhancing teacher training, and providing additional support to students from disadvantaged backgrounds to ensure equitable educational outcomes across Pakistan.