Violating right to free education

Poverty, food insecurity, gender inequality, funding – all of these reasons have been used by the government on various occasions to explain why there are 26.2 million children aged 5-16 out of school. A country that has the world's second highest number of out-of-school children is apparently so steeped in economic challenges that it has been unable to substantially rectify its education crisis for decades - all while the prime minister is busy promoting a digital economy. But recent reports have brought an unspoken truth to light, which eventually raises more questions than it answers.

According to documents submitted to the Islamabad High Court, private educational institutions in the federal capital have been skimping out on a 10 per cent scholarship quota for low-income students mandated under the Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2012. Through this violation of the law, experts estimate, these institutions are pocketing Rs5 billion to Rs6 billion annually. The scholarship quota is meant to give high-achieving students from underprivileged backgrounds a fighting chance to escape the system and change their lives for generations to come. The fact that underprivileged students have to first prove their academic worth in order to access quality education while students from elite backgrounds have the luxury of studying without added pressures, is already discriminatory. To have someone actively deprive deserving students of their right to education is unforgivable.

At least 38,900 students are estimated to have been deprived of this right so far. If legal action against these private entities continues at the current pace, this number is bound to increase. Moreover, ensuring the implementation of the scholarship quota alone will not be enough to undo the damage caused by this violation. These private institutions must be forced to turn over every penny obtained illegally, and reparations must be made for the students who have missed out on life-changing educational opportunities.