LAHORE – A petition was filed in the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday seeking provision of free education to every citizen from five to 16 years of age under articles 9, 25 A and 37 of the constitution. Syed Feroz Shah filed the petition submitting that provision of free education was the right of every citizen, which had become a substantive part of the constitution after passage of the 18th Constitutional Amendment. Petitioner’s counsel AK Dogar submitted that the federal and provincial governments were overlooking their constitutional obligations by not providing free education to citizens.
He said that less than two percent of the national budget was spent on the educational sector and no one was ready to ensure the enforcement of a uniform education system in the country. Dogar said that private education standards were against the constitution of the country. The petitioner’s counsel said that modern times had increased the importance of education and Islam has also given great importance to education. He also requested the court to order a crackdown against ghost schools.