State responsible for children’s education after 18th Amendment: CJ

ISLAMABAD: The Chief Justice of Pakistan, Mian Saqib Nisar, on Monday observed that it is the responsibility of the state to provide education to the children after the 18th Amendment in the Constitution. A three-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, heard the case pertaining to privatisation of government schools in the Punjab.

The court summoned a detailed report about the privatisation of government schools in Punjab by the first week of March. The provincial secretary education informed the court that 0.197 million children are not going to school in Punjab. The chief justice said it means that the government is not fulfilling its duty according to the Constitution as he had said during the last hearing that all the children were going to school.

The chief justice said that how much time had passedsince the passing of the 18th Amendment, adding that there should be one book and one bag in the country.

Justice Saqib Nisar asked what the government is doing in this regard. The secretary education said the government is giving Rs0.5 million scholarship to the children for their education. The chief justice inquired what the government is doing for compulsory education, saying that shelter schools are not required.

The chief justice warned that action will be taken on giving wrong information. He said basic rights have not been put in the Constitution for show off. On the request of the secretary education, the court adjourned hearing of the case till first week of March.