The Society for the Protection of the Rights of Child (Sparc) has called for implementation of compulsory education laws in the three provinces of Pakistan and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) so that every Pakistani child goes to school.
In a statement issued on Wednesday to show solidarity on the World Literacy Day, Sparc also urged the government to pass similar laws in Balochistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir and also to implement it there so that all children could sent to schools.
The NWFP government must take steps to implement NWFP Compulsory Primary Education Act 1996 in letter and spirit. Unfortunately, despite huge amount of funds being poured into education, the poor and the deprived children continue to remain outside the schools and were forced to do child labour.
Pakistan already has an overwhelmingly large illiterate population. Over 46 million Pakistanis cannot read or write. There is also a weak definition of literacy, which needs to be redefined and standardised, Sparc Deputy National Co-ordinator Arshad Mahmood said.
At present, there are 860 million people across the world who cannot read or write. Out of them two-thirds are women. While 100 million children do not attend schools across the world.