Enforcement of Right to Free Education

Article 25-A of the Constitution of Pakistan

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Publication No: PD-247

Rs 3,000  

Public Forum on the Enforcement of Right to Free Education and Article 25-A of the Constitution of Pakistan was organised by PILDAT in collaboration with UNESCO in Marriott Hotel, Islamabad on June 08, 2011. Former Federal Minister for Education, Former Chairpersons Parliamentary Committees on Education, Provincial Education Ministers, Chairpersons Provincial Standing Committees on Education and officials of Education Department from all provinces and the Federal Capital were invited to express their views on the Enforcement of Right to Free Education and Article 25-A of the Constitution of Pakistan. Education experts, analysts, a select gathering of civil society and media also participated in the Public Forum. With the passage of 18th Constitutional Amendment and abolition of the concurrent list, education has become a provincial subject. Another important and positive change is the insertion of Article 25-A in the Constitution of Pakistan that guarantees the right to free and compulsory education to all children of age 5 to 16 years in Pakistan. This free and compulsory education is to be provided by the State, which by definition includes both Federal and Provincial Governments. After declaring education a provincial subject, will it be the exclusive responsibility of the provinces to ensure that Article 25A is implemented in letter and spirit, or will the Federal Government also be responsible to fully or partially support the provision of this Constitutional Right to all children in the country? This Article (25-A) also necessitates further legislation (by the provincial Assemblies) to facilitate the enforcement of free and compulsory education. This and some other associated issues were discussed in the Public Forum.

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