President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday signed into law The Right to Free and Compulsory Education Bill 2012 to ensure provision of free-of-cost education to children from five to 16 years of age.
Zardari said he hoped the law would go a long way in ensuring free and compulsory education to the children of the country.
He said pursuing Benazir Bhutto’s vision of free and compulsory education, the PPP-led government had fulfilled yet another promise made to the people. He said the law would ensure that that no child remained out of school.
The president said under the law‚ private schools would also be required to provide free education to the disadvantaged students to the extent of 10 percent of the class.
He said Article 25-A had been added to the constitution, adding that the responsibility to provide free education rested with both the federal and provincial governments and that the federal government was responsible for legislation under the article 25-A for areas under its control.
The president urged the provincial governments to follow the law within their respective jurisdictions.
Zardari said the government gave the Education Policy of 2009 as part of its policy to promote education in the country, urging the government to ensure that that no child was subjected to any kind of discrimination whatsoever.
The president said under the law, the federal government would provide free textbooks and uniforms to children in the areas of its jurisdiction besides ensuring that no child was deprived of admission in school and that schools had qualified teachers.
“Free Pre-school education, early childhood care and free medical and dental inspection will be provided to all citizens and no child will now be subjected to physical punishment or mental harassment,” the president said, adding that the government would also create a professional cadre of teachers to promote quality education.
He said no fee including admission fee would be charged from the students and the government would provide school buildings, playgrounds, laboratories and other facilities.
The president said as part of the government’s initiative for promotion of education in the country, educational awards would be given to teachers, educational administrators and researchers.