PESHAWAR: Awami National Party (ANP) member National Assembly has presented a resolution in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly calling for an increase in resource allocation for girls education in the 2019-2020 budget.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Civil Society organizations and education right activists appreciated the introduction of a resolution. Shagufta Malik is a member of the SDG taskforce Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The resolution states that “As per Pakistan Education Statistics, 2016-17, in newly merged tribal districts 73% of school-going age girls are out of school, compared to just 43% of all boys. This is followed by other KP districts, where 49% of girls are not in school, compared to 21% of boys.
Recalling the commitment under Article 37 (b), Part II, Chapter 2, and Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan 1973 and” Article 25 A, Part-II, Chapter 1, “The State shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of 5 to 16 years in such a manner as may be determined by law”.
In compliance with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Free Compulsory Primary and Secondary Education Act, 2017 and the International commitments of Pakistan made in the Universal Periodic Review in Human Rights Council (HRC) of United Nations (UN), this House resolves that the Government of Pakistan should allocate 6% of total GDP of Pakistan towards education and ensure most of those funds are allocated towards girls’ education.
In budget 2019-2020, said the resolution, the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa should ensure an equitable approach to resource allocation towards girls’ education to close the gap between girls and boys enrolment and increase retention of girl’s enrolment at secondary schools.
Qamar Naseem Program Coordinator Blue Veins highly appreciated the resolution moved by Member Provincial Assembly Shagufta Malik, he said without the allocation of resources, especially financial, the government cannot realize the right to education.
Naseem added that Pakistan cannot meet its minimum core obligations, such as securing free and compulsory primary and education for all, or the obligation to progressively realize certain aspects of the right to education, such as the progressive introduction of free secondary, vocational and higher education.
