Children’s universal right: Policy underway for providing free education in capital

Students to be divided in three categories.

ISLAMABAD:

The Ministry of Capital Administration and Development is in the process of collecting data and assessing the resources needed to provide free education to children in the federal metropolis. Last year, Parliament had passed a bill, endorsing the right to free and compulsory education for all children in the capital as mandated by Article 25-A of the Constitution.

Deputy Education Adviser Tajammul Hussain stated they were in the process of determining the number of out-of-school children in Islamabad, sharing updates with The Express Tribune on Thursday.

“We’re collecting data from government and private organisations as well as non-governmental organisations.” Hussain said they were primarily assessing the building infrastructure, budget and human resources required to make the law a reality.  “We are estimating the cost of providing free uniforms, transport and books to the students,” he added.

Children enrolled in the formal education system would be younger than nine, children over nine will join the non-formal system, while children over 12 would be accommodated by the National Commission for Human Development, he added.

According to the Federal Directorate of Education, 161,400 students are enrolled in federal government schools and colleges, while 42,000 are studying in model colleges in the capital.

If the law is implemented, it will improve the enrolment rate by 35%. Over 50,000 children are out of school in Islamabad, according to data released by the Institute of Social and Policy Studies in March.

The Right to Free and Compulsory Education Bill 2012 states that the state shall provide free and compulsory education to all children from the age of five to 16 years in Islamabad Capital Territory.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 12^th, 2013.