January 01, 2007 Monday Zilhaj 10, 1427
PESHAWAR: Compulsory education law yet to be enforced
PESHAWAR, Dec 31: Even after the enactment of the law on compulsory primary education a decade ago, the NWFP government has failed to get it implemented in the province.
Under the NWFP Compulsory Primary Education Act that came into effect on October 16, 1996, the government was bound to ensure compulsory primary education for children between 5 and 10 years of age, said activists associated with organisations working for child rights.
The government has yet to establish school attendance authorities, which have the prime responsibility under the law to check the non-attendance of school by a child. No court could take cognizance of the violation of the law unless the school attendance authority files a written complaint.
Under the law, parents of a child also include guardian or any other person who has the custody of the child. It is binding on parents of the child, except in case of reasonable excuse, to make him attend a school until he has completed primary education course.
According to statistics released by the Education Management Information System (EMIS), the total gross enrolment ratio in primary schools in the year 2003-04 was 62 per cent. Those enrolled included 74 per cent boys and 48 per cent girls.
The economic report of the NWFP -- compiled by the Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Unit of the World Bank and the provincial government in 2005 -- states that the share of spending on education in total provincial spending increased from 22 per cent in 2001-02 to 28 per cent in 2003-04.
However, the increase in public spending on education has yet to cause much improvement in educational indicators, states the report, adding that the gross enrolment in government primary schools during 2002 to 2005 grew only from 63 to 64 per cent.
ââ¬ÅIt is the responsibility of the provincial government to constitute one or more school attendance authorities for the purpose of this act. When more than one such authority is constituted, the government shall also specify area of jurisdiction of each such authority,ââ¬Â said Jehanzeb Khan, regional coordinator of Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (Sparc).
He regretted that the provincial government made claims of increasing its spending on education, but no step was taken for implementing the law.
The law does provide for certain conditions to exempt a child from attending the school, but that is subject to the satisfaction of the school attendance authority.
These conditions are: the child is incapable of attending school by reason of sickness; it is not desirable to compel the child to carry on his studies due to mental incapacity; when the child is receiving otherwise instructions which, in the opinion of the prescribed authority, is sufficient; or, when there is no school within a distance of 2km according to nearest route from the residence of the child.
Section 5 of the Act envisages that if the school attendance authority is satisfied that a child has not been sent to school, it may pass an order directing parents to cause such a child to attend school on and from the date which shall be specified in the order. Any parent who fails to comply with the order shall, on conviction before magistrate, be punishable with fine which extends to Rs20 per day, and with an imprisonment which may extend to one week, or with both, in case the failure continues after conviction.
Any employee of a child who, after receiving warning from the authority, continues to employ a child whether on remuneration or otherwise shall, on conviction before magistrate, be punishable with fine which may extend to Rs500 and with further fine which may extend to Rs50 per day if child continues to be in his employment after conviction, or with imprisonment which extend to one month, or with both.
http://www.dawn.com/2007/01/01/local23.htm
PESHAWAR: Compulsory education law yet to be enforced
PESHAWAR, Dec 31: Even after the enactment of the law on compulsory primary education a decade ago, the NWFP government has failed to get it implemented in the province.
Under the NWFP Compulsory Primary Education Act that came into effect on October 16, 1996, the government was bound to ensure compulsory primary education for children between 5 and 10 years of age, said activists associated with organisations working for child rights.
The government has yet to establish school attendance authorities, which have the prime responsibility under the law to check the non-attendance of school by a child. No court could take cognizance of the violation of the law unless the school attendance authority files a written complaint.
Under the law, parents of a child also include guardian or any other person who has the custody of the child. It is binding on parents of the child, except in case of reasonable excuse, to make him attend a school until he has completed primary education course.
According to statistics released by the Education Management Information System (EMIS), the total gross enrolment ratio in primary schools in the year 2003-04 was 62 per cent. Those enrolled included 74 per cent boys and 48 per cent girls.
The economic report of the NWFP -- compiled by the Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Unit of the World Bank and the provincial government in 2005 -- states that the share of spending on education in total provincial spending increased from 22 per cent in 2001-02 to 28 per cent in 2003-04.
However, the increase in public spending on education has yet to cause much improvement in educational indicators, states the report, adding that the gross enrolment in government primary schools during 2002 to 2005 grew only from 63 to 64 per cent.
ââ¬ÅIt is the responsibility of the provincial government to constitute one or more school attendance authorities for the purpose of this act. When more than one such authority is constituted, the government shall also specify area of jurisdiction of each such authority,ââ¬Â said Jehanzeb Khan, regional coordinator of Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (Sparc).
He regretted that the provincial government made claims of increasing its spending on education, but no step was taken for implementing the law.
The law does provide for certain conditions to exempt a child from attending the school, but that is subject to the satisfaction of the school attendance authority.
These conditions are: the child is incapable of attending school by reason of sickness; it is not desirable to compel the child to carry on his studies due to mental incapacity; when the child is receiving otherwise instructions which, in the opinion of the prescribed authority, is sufficient; or, when there is no school within a distance of 2km according to nearest route from the residence of the child.
Section 5 of the Act envisages that if the school attendance authority is satisfied that a child has not been sent to school, it may pass an order directing parents to cause such a child to attend school on and from the date which shall be specified in the order. Any parent who fails to comply with the order shall, on conviction before magistrate, be punishable with fine which extends to Rs20 per day, and with an imprisonment which may extend to one week, or with both, in case the failure continues after conviction.
Any employee of a child who, after receiving warning from the authority, continues to employ a child whether on remuneration or otherwise shall, on conviction before magistrate, be punishable with fine which may extend to Rs500 and with further fine which may extend to Rs50 per day if child continues to be in his employment after conviction, or with imprisonment which extend to one month, or with both.
http://www.dawn.com/2007/01/01/local23.htm
