A bill right to free and compulsory education was presented in the Senate on Monday, which aims at providing free education to the children residing in the federal capital. The bill was laid on private members day by Senators SM Zafar, Saeeda Iqbal, Prof Muhammad Ibrahim Khan and others.
According to the statements and objects of the bill, Article 25 A of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, free education to all the children, aged five to sixteen, is a fundamental right and its provision is a responsibility of the state. Accordingly, a comprehensive law to provide for free and compulsory education is the mandate of the constitution and the need of the time. The bill provides education for all children of the age of five to sixteen to in schools established by the federal and local governments in Islamabad Capital Territory.
According to the bill’s special provision for education of the children, a child, who has not been admitted in any school or could not complete his education, would be admitted in an appropriate class. The children shall have the right to seek transfer to any other school to complete his education. The bill further states that if a child is required to move from one school to another, whatsoever the reasons, the child will have the right of transfer from one school to another.
According to bill, the appropriate government would establish school, within such limits of neighbourhood as may be prescribed, within a period of three years from the commencement of this act. The bill stated that the government establish a system of grants-in-aid to support the school attendance of poor children.
“The federal government and the local government, if any, shall have concurrent responsibility for providing funds for carrying out the provisions of this act,” the bill stated. It further said the federal government may provide to the local government as grants-in-aid such percentage of expenditure for education as it may determine, from time to time, in consultation with the local government.
“The federal government should shall establish or specify, through notification, an academic authority tolay down the curriculum and evolution procedures, including approval of syllabi and textbooks for students, to develop and enforce standards for training of teachers, and to provide technical support and resources for planning and capacity building of teacher and education managers. Regarding duty of the parents the bill stated that the parent of the child would except in case of reasonable excuse, cause a child to attend the school in neighbourhood until the said child has completed the prescribe d education. According to bill, the Government may make necessary arrangements for providing free pre-school education and early childhood care for the children above the age of three years until he join the school for education.
No capitation fee would be collected or no denial of admission to any child would allow after the commencement of this bill. The draft bill was referred to the National Assembly Standing Committee on Cabinet. Earlier, a long argument took place between the movers of the bill and leader of the house Syed Nayar Bokhari on the applicability of the bill.
