The provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is going to make enrolment of children in school compulsory and in case of non-implementation, the act will be a punishable act with imprisonment and fine.
For this purpose, the provincial government under Article 25A of the Constitution of Pakistan, which provides that the state shall provide free compulsory education to all the children of the age of five to sixteen years in such a manner as may be determined by law has been introduced a bill in the provincial assembly.
The Bill called Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Free Compulsory Primary and Secondary Education Bill, 2017 has been tabled in the provincial assembly during the last session of the house.
Under the law, the provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will become bound for provision of free education to all children of the age of five to sixteen years. The enrolment of the children of such age group children in schools will be compulsory and parents will be bound to ensure the attendance of their children in schools, except in the case of reasonable excuse.
For the purpose, the provincial government may, by notification, constitute a School Attendance Authority for each school, which will consist of such members, as may be determined by the provincial government.
The School Attendance Authority will ensure that every child shall attend a school under its jurisdiction and shall take such steps as it may consider necessary or as may b specified by the provincial government.
In case, where the authority is satisfied that the parents, who are required under this Act to cause a child to attend a school, has failed to do so, the School Attendance Authority, after giving to the parents, as the case may be, an opportunity of being heard and after such enquiries, as it may consider necessary, may pass an order directing the parents to cause such child to attend a school on and from a date which shall be specified in the order.
The parents, who fail to comply with an order issued on conviction before a judicial magistrate, be punishable with imprisonment, which may extend to one month or fine which may extend to hundred rupees for every day after the conviction for which the failure continues or with both.
No court shall take cognizance of an offence under this Act, except on a complaint in writing made by the School Attendance Authority.
Under the Act, the provincial government may permit a School Attendance Authority, to establish Taleem Fund for the school, which will consist of grants made by the federal government, provincial government, district government, all voluntary contributions from the philanthropists, alumni, students and parents.
The fund maintained at a scheduled bank would be utilized for the welfare of the students of the school. The accounts of the fund would be audited by the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP).
Similarly, in line with the Objective Resolution, which under Article 29 is part of the Constitution guarantees Muslims individually and collectively to live the life in accordance to Qur'aan and Sunnah while Article 31 states regarding steps for equipping Muslims individually and collectively with the basic ideology and principals of Islam and their facilitation for living life in accordance with Qur'aan and Sunnah, the provincial government has declared the teaching of Nazra Qur'aan as compulsory subject from Class 1 to Class-V while in secondary level from Class-VI to Class XII, the students will be taught translation of the Holy Qur'aan.