Free, compulsory education: Legislation on inclusive education irks schools

Standing Committee prepares to present recommendations to legislature, public meeting on law to take place today.

LAHORE:

With the promulgation of the Punjab Free and Compulsory Education Ordinance, inclusive education and role of private schools in providing free education have surfaced as major concerns during deliberations under the Punjab Assembly Standing committee on Education.

The governor had promulgated the ordinance on May 13. The committee had expressed its keenness to hold consultations on several clauses of the document amidst criticism regarding lack of public deliberations.

The committee is now gearing towards presenting its recommendations to the provincial assembly.

Under the promulgated law, private schools would be required to provide free and compulsory education to 10 per cent of the strength of each class, from grade 1 to grade 10.

Last week, representatives of private school met the committee and raised their objections to the condition regarding the allocation of 10 per cent seats for free education to deserving students.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, committee chairperson Qamarul Islam Raja agreed that the provision had caused reservations among private schools.

Raja said apprehensions had surfaced regarding adjusting the disadvantaged children in private schools under the provision. The objections included the perceptions that disadvantaged children would not be able to adjust in the private schools’ environment, affecting the confidence and personality of these children. Raja thought otherwise.

“Children from humble and disadvantaged backgrounds have always been part of some elite private schools, albeit in very small numbers on specifically allocated seats,” he said.

Private schools have been provided with alternative options, including a voucher scheme for children or establishment of schools for deserving students.

“We have asked them to put forth their recommendations so that these may be considered,” Raja said.

The committee was so far waiting for feedback from private schools.

Inclusive education, according to Raja, had also caused a stir in the consultative process with stakeholders demanding that it should be provided complete cover under the proposed law.

“The problem with inclusive education is that it requires specialised teachers and resources… and for schools to ensure this with limited resources is a big challenge,” said Raja.

The bill was introduced in the provincial assembly on May 16. It was later referred to the committee for its recommendations. The ordinance must be passed by the assembly within 90 days or it would lapse and would need to be reintroduced.

The committee said it had until August 8 before the bill lapsed. It aimed to either get the bill revalidated from the assembly to allow for further deliberations or passed formally by the assembly.

Another public meeting on the law will take place on Tuesday (today).

Published in The Express Tribune, June 17^th, 2014.