Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar on Saturday said that globally 58 million children are out of school and Pakistan being ranked as having the second highest number of such children. The governor was speaking at a press briefing on the "Up for school" signature campaign and its action plan at the Governor's House.
He regretted that about 5.4 million children in the country are out of school while the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are drawing to a close by the end of this year. He said that the briefing was a `Call for Action' for all the vice-chancellors, civil society organisations, members of the business community, education stakeholders and individuals across Punjab to endorse the signature campaign and stand up to ensure the Right To Education to all children without any discrimination.
The "Up for school" Signature Campaign, a global movement, has been launched by A World At School (AWAS) in collaboration with the Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi to get every child into school and learning. The governor stressed the need to sensitize and mobilise all the stakeholders and citizens within his jurisdiction to work towards curbing the educational crisis in Pakistan. Sarwar urged all universities, colleges, schools, businesses, parents and civil society to participate in the campaign petition by collecting these signatures by February 28, 2015. He said that he had mobilized over 1,000 university girl students demanding Right To Education For All during the UN Global Envoy for Education Sir Gordon Brown's visit to Pakistan in March last year.
He said the Pakistani youth was highly talented and brave and could take on to any challenges. He also acknowledged the bravery of Aitzaz Hassan for giving his life to save his school fellows while stopping a suicide bomber from hitting the school last year.
Earlier, ITA Director Programmes Baela Raza Jamil said, "Up for school" petition was the appeal by the world's youth, teachers, parents and global citizens to their governments to keep their promise made at the United Nations in the year 2000-to ensure that all out of school children gain their right to education before the end of 2015. In Pakistan, she said, this signature campaign aimed at collecting three million signatures before January 31 and assist Sarah Gordon Brown in applying for a new Guinness World Record, as the campaign seeks to build the world's largest petition. The petition was signed by Governor Chaudhry Sarwar, all vice-chancellors, educationists and parents.
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