Education reform: Free, Compulsory Education Ord issued by governor

Punjab Education Minister said the law, approved by the cabinet, would be tabled in next session of the assembly.

LAHORE:

The Punjab Free and Compulsory Education Ordinance 2014, under which the provision of free and compulsory education to children between the ages of five and 16 will be the state’s responsibility, has been promulgated by Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar.

The government had been working on the legislative framework for implementing Article 25-A since 2010. Over the past three years several drafts were formulated. In April, Punjab Education Minister Rana Mashhood Ahmad had said that the law, approved by the cabinet, would be tabled in the next session of the assembly. The governor told The Express Tribune that the ordinance had been promulgated and termed it a ‘bold step’ by the government. He said the ordinance had been implemented through an executive order and would be tabled in the next assembly session.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 15^th, 2014.