LAHORE: Participants in a national conference on the right to education urged on Tuesday the Punjab government to notify the free and compulsory education Act in the province.

The stakeholders also expressed concern over the 2.2 million out of school children and demanded that Free and Compulsory Education (Article 25A) be enforced to achieve sustainable development goals. The conference on the right to education was organised by non-government organisations.

Participants said Pakistan was not achieving the SDG on education due to a delay in notifying the Act. They said parliament should be engaged for the notification of the Act. .

MPA Shamim Aftab stressed the need for engaging all stakeholders as well as parliamentarians for ensuring the implementation of Article 25-A.

Another MPA Ayesha Nawaz said the Punjab standing committee on education had also passed the amendment bill to notify Punjab Free and Compulsory Education Act 2014.

Shandana Gulzar urged the people to keep girls on a par with boys in education and choices of life ensuring equal opportunities.

Published in Dawn, March 2nd, 2022