The National Assembly on Tuesday passed 'The Right to Free and Compulsory Education Bill, 2012' unanimously to ensure free and compulsory education to all five to sixteen years old children. The Bill was moved by MNA Yasmeen Rehman on private members' day.
The Bill provides education for all children of age of five to sixteen years in schools established by the federal government and local government in Islamabad Capital Territory. According to Article 25A in the first chapter of fundamental rights of Constitution, Right to education," The State shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of five to sixteen years in such manner as may be determined by law."
The Bill contains 29 clauses. Clause three of the Bill about right of child to free education says that (1) every child, regardless of sex, nationality or race, shall have a fundamental right to free and compulsory education in a neighbouring school. (2) No child shall be liable to pay any kind of fee, charges, expenses, etc, which may prevent him from pursuing and completing the education.
Clause 14 of the Bill talks about registration of schools. Schools, "other than a school established, owned or controlled by the appropriate government", would not be allowed to run "without obtaining a certificate of registration from the prescribed authority". "Any person who establishes or runs a school without obtaining certificate of registration, or continues to run a school after withdrawal of registration, shall be liable to fine which may extend to Rs 200,000 and in case of continuing contraventions, to a fine of Rs 25,000 for each day during which such contravention continues." According to clause 10, 10 percent quota should be earmarked for disadvantaged children in private schools.
According to Clause 16 (5) and (6) of the bill, any parent who would refuse to send their children to schools, "shall on conviction be punishable with fine which may extend to five thousand rupees and with further fine which may extend to Rs 500 every day after the conviction for which the failure continues or with imprisonment which may extend to three month or both.
Clause 16 (6) addressed the issue of child labour, saying that people employing children for labour would be fined with a penalty of Rs 50,000 extendable and six months imprisonment extendable. The fine, which may be extend to Rs 1,000 for every day after the conviction for which the non-attendance at a school continues. Yasmeen Rehman said that this legislation would ensure better education for children. Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah said that provision of compulsory education to children was enshrined in Article 25A of the Constitution.
Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, Shahnaz Wazir Ali, Asia Nasir, Khushbakht Shujaat and other women lawmakers also termed it a positive step. As many as six bills were introduced in the Lower House of parliament on private members' day. They included 'The Protection and Welfare of Khawaja Saras Rights Bill, 2012, The Pakistan Psychological Regulatory Authority bill, 2012, The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2012, The Pakistan Food Security for Poor People Bill, 2012, The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2012 and The Control of Narcotics Substances (Amendment) Bill, 2012.
'The Protection and Welfare of Khawaja Saras Rights Bill, 2012' proposes different protective and welfare measures in addition to ending social discrimination against eunuchs as a whole. The amended bill on Narcotics Substances calls for a legal mechanism to check the availability of narcotic substances, particularly in the vicinity of schools, colleges or other public places.