Stakeholders warned that fuel price hike further aggravate the girls drop out from schools

LAHORE, June 29: Expressing grave concern over the 2.2 million out of school children, with girls being the majority, experts have stressed on the implementation of Free and Compulsory Education Act and girls right to secondary education in Punjab. These thoughts were expressed in the consultation session on the Implementation of Free & Compulsory Primary Education Act and Girls’ Right to Secondary Education organized by Awaz CDS and National Commission for Human Rights. The major focus of the session was to emphasize on the initiatives needed to be taken to ensure primary education of children and reducing girls drop out from secondary schools as it would contribute a lot towards ensuring educated women population, a guarantee to economic and social stability. Chief Executive Awaz CDS, Mohammad Zia urRehman, Member/Commissioner (Punjab) National Commission for Human Rights, Nadeem Ashraf, Director School Education Department, Mr. GhulamFarid, Member Punjab Assembly, Ms. UswaAftab, and Ms. Ayesha Iqbal, MsNoorish Sabah, Director Punjab Literacy Department, Ms. BaelaRaza Jamil from ITA and other academics as well as members from NGOs attended the event. In his opening remarks, Zia ur Rahman, Chief Executive Awaz CDS highlighted the significance of girls quality secondary education and explained the grey areas in the way of girls education in Punjab. He urged the Punjab government to immediately notify the Punjab Free and Compulsory Education Act 2014 which was approved earlier. – PR