Education Minister, Syed Sardar Ali Shah, held a meeting with a delegation from the National Commission on Child Rights. The three-member delegation, led by Chairperson of the National Commission on Child Rights, Ayesha Raza Farooq, discussed matters related to the protection and rights of children. The National Commission on Child Rights was established in 2017 to raise awareness about children’s rights and ensure their protection. Chairperson Ayesha Raza briefed the Sindh Education Minister on the commission’s initiatives.
“Pakistan is facing issues like out-of-school children, with approximately 22.8 million children out of school nationwide,” stated the delegation.
The commission is working in collaboration with all four provincial governments to reduce the proportion of out-of-school children. The Sindh Education Minister informed the delegation that currently, 4.1 million children are out of school in Sindh. “It is essential to work under correct data to understand and formulate policies,” emphasized Minister Sardar Shah. The Sindh government is taking various measures to help children complete their education, including upgrading primary schools.
“With the upgradation of primary schools, children will be able to complete their education in one school from fifth to eighth grade,” said the education minister. “Most children drop out after primary school,” added Sardar Shah.
“Sindh is the only province in Pakistan where curriculum has been arranged for technical and vocational education at the school level,” highlighted Minister Sardar Shah. The Sindh Education Department has made it mandatory for private schools to provide free education to 10 percent of students. “The limited budget and challenges are causing delays in completing several projects,” stated the education minister.
“Sindh has introduced a curriculum according to the religious beliefs of minority communities to provide them with education,” stated Minister Sardar Shah.
“The transgender education policy was introduced for the first time in Sindh to ensure a better future for children of this community,” added Minister Sardar Shah. The Chairperson of the National Commission on Child Rights praised Sindh’s education policies. “It is commendable that better policies have been formulated in Sindh regarding children’s education,” said Ayesha Raza. “One objective of the National Commission on Child Rights is to establish coordination among provinces regarding children’s rights,” stated the Chairperson. “Provinces can learn from each other in various issues,” added Ayesha Raza.
The registration of children entering schools will be made mandatory, as suggested by the National Commission on Child Rights. The Sindh Education Minister assured the delegation of implementing the recommendations of the National Commission on Child Rights regarding children’s rights.
