KARACHI, Dec 26: Governor Mohammadmian Soomro promulgated on Wednesday the Sindh Compulsory Primary Education Ordinance-2001 providing for compulsory education to children whose age at the beginning of school year is not less than five years and not more than 11 years.

In case of non-compliance, the parents and guardians as well as the employers of children could be punished.

Under this ordinance, which shall come into force at once the primary education shall be compulsory for every child in the province. The parents of a child shall, except in the case of a reasonable excuse, cause to regularly attend a primary school until the child has completed the primary education, says the ordinance.

The reasonable excuses that prevent the child from compulsory primary education include sickness or mental in-capability or any other un-avoidable cause; where the child is receiving otherwise than in a primary school, instructions which in the opinion of the education officer concerned are sufficient and where there is no primary school within a distance of one kilometre measured according to the nearest route from the residence of the child.

The ordinance states that the government shall appoint one or more authorities for the purpose of this ordinance.

The authority shall ensure that every child required to attend primary school under this ordinance attends a school and for the purpose it shall take steps as may be considered necessary by it or as may from time to time be specified by the government.

Where the authority is satisfied that a parent who is required under this ordinance to cause a child to attend a primary school, has failed to do so, the authority, after giving the parents an opportunity of being heard and after such enquiry as it considers necessary, may by an order direct the parents to cause such child to attend a primary school on and from a date which shall be specified in the order.

The authority may exercise such powers or perform such functions as may be prescribed.

The ordinance envisages that any parents, who fail to comply with an order issued under sub-section (3) of section 5, shall be punishable with fine which may extend to Rs50 and with a further fine which may extend to Rs25 for every day after the conviction if the failure continued.

Moreover, any person who after receiving due warning from the authority continues to employ a child, who is required under this ordinance to attend the primary school whether on remuneration or otherwise, shall be punishable with fine which may extend to Rs50 with a further fine which may extend to Rs25 for every day after conviction, if the failure continued.

No court shall take cognizance of any offence under this section except on a complaint in writing made by the authority.—PPI