KARACHI: The provincial assembly in Sindh on Wednesday unanimously passed a government bill for provision of free and compulsory education to all children aged from five to 16 in the province.

Sindh Education Minister Pir Mazharul Haq, under the supplementary order of the day, introduced the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Bill 2013, which was unanimously passed into the law.

The bill is for providing free and compulsory education to all children of age five to sixteen on state expense in the province.

Members belonging to treasury and opposition benches spoke on the bill and termed it a landmark legislation of the incumbent assembly.

Pir Mazharul Haq said under the bill, private schools will be bound to provide free education to 20 per cent students of the class strength. He said private schools, which are not getting any benefits from the government, will also be bound to enroll five per cent students for free education.

The minister said Sindh is the first province of the country that has passed the law for provision of free and compulsory education. He hoped that other provinces would follow the example set by Sindh.

Meanwhile, on provincial Law Minister Ayaz Soomro’s request, Sindh Arms Bill 2013 and Hyderabad Institute of Arts and Technology Bill 2013 were postponed.

The house was adjourned till Thursday.