The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) cabinet in a meeting held on Monday approved a bill proposing primary and secondary education be made compulsory for all children between five to 16 years of age.

Under the bill, education will be imparted free of cost in all public sector educational institutions.

Following the cabinet meeting, Adviser to Chief Minister on Information Mushtaq Ahmed Ghani told reporters that under the Act, the government will be responsible for providing free education to the students and parents will have to send their children to school.

"Under the Act, parents would be punishable with imprisonment up to one month or fine which may extend up to Rs100 per day or with both for not sending their children to schools," the adviser said.

Furthermore, the government will also establish an authority for ensuring attendance in schools.

The provincial cabinet also approved imparting Holy Quran (Nazra) as a compulsory subject in all public and private schools from grade one to five and translation of the Holy Quran from grade 6th to 10th for Muslim students in the province.