Poverty cannot be eliminated without education: Rana

Article 25-A should be implemented at provincial level and free education should be provided to children from ages 5 to 16 years, a consultative meeting was organised on the implementation of Article 25-A by Actionaid Pakistan and Human Development Foundation, at Hyderabad Press Club.
The objective of the meeting was to create awareness on implementation of Article 25-A and enhance the role of community civil society and media in its implementation and formulating strategies for free and compulsory education for children from ages 5 to 16 years.
On this occasion, President of initiator Human Development Foundation Rana Asif Habib stressed on the need of education and said that without education poverty cannot be eliminated. The dream of educated Pakistan can only be possible with an educated Sindh. He said immediate steps must be taken to promote education. Along with morning shifts evening shifts should be started in the schools, and schools should be freed from the clutches of the land mafia. Economic change can only be possible because of education. A ministry of child rights must be formed. In elections masses vote those political parties who have promotion of education in there manifestos. Transportation for school going children should be free. A system of check and balance is necessary to improve and upgrade the education level in government schools. We have to get of class system in schools and equal opportunities should be provided to each and every child.
He said that according to Article 25-A of the constitution. It is the responsibility of the government to provide free and compulsory education to every child from 5 to 16 year of age.
There are approximately 46,000 government schools, out of which majority comprise of one room and the conditions of these schools are generally dilapidated according to Unesco in Pakistan. 53 lac children are out of schools, out of which 63 percent are girls, 10 million child labourers. 8 million children work as bonded labourers in brick kilns. 5 million children are street children.
Pakistan has signed and ratified the United Nation Convention on the Rights of the Children (UNCRC) in 1990 and 22 years have passed still the government has failed to provide free education and security to the children in the present prevailing conditions political parties must be consulted and all political parties must include imparting of free education in their manifestos. On this occasion President of Hyderabad Press Club, Hameed-ur-Rehman said that an awareness campaign for the parents should be started to send their children to schools.