Government schools: IHC moved against shortage of textbooks

“To receive education is a fundamental right of students, which is being neglected,” says petitioner.


Our Correspondent May 23, 2013
Because of outstanding payments amounting to over Rs55 million for the last academic year’s textbooks, publishers have refused to print more. PHOTO: FILE

ISLAMABAD:


A petition filed in the capital’s high court, on Thursday, highlighted the violation of the fundamental right of government institutions’ students to an education since several weeks into the new academic year they have yet to receive textbooks.


Chaudhry Khalid Mehmood filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court challenging the unavailability of textbooks to students which was termed the denial of a constitutional right.

The petitioner maintained that the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) had failed to provide textbooks to students of govt schools despite the fact that the new academic year began on April 11. “To receive education is a fundamental right of students, which is being neglected,” he added.

He claimed that parents had approached the relevant authorities, but they failed to address the issue. Mehmood requested the court to accept the petition. Chief Justice Muhammad Anwar Khan Kasi will take up the matter on Friday (today).

FDE Director General (DG) Riffat Shaheen Qazi and National Book Foundation (NBF) Managing Director Mazharul Islam have been cited as respondents. The petitioner alleged that the respondents’ children study in privates institutions which is why they didn’t bother to take this issue seriously.

According to a news story published in this paper a week ago, the NBF had requested FDE several times to clear the bills. Because of outstanding payments amounting to over Rs55 million for the last academic year’s textbooks, publishers have refused to print more.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 24th, 2013.

COMMENTS

Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ