SHC tells education secy to submit plan to enrol out-of-school children

The Sindh High Court has directed the secretary for School Education and Literacy Department to submit an action plan for the implementation of the Sindh Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2013.

The directives came on Friday on identical petitions filed by rights activists and organisations seeking the law’s implementation. The counsel for the petitioners submitted that there were various provisions which require the immediate attention of the government for smooth implementation of the law in its letter and spirit. He added Section 9 of the Sindh Education Foundation Act 1992 contains various aims and objectives of the foundation.

The secretary for School Education and Literacy Department submitted minutes of the meeting regarding the implementation of the earlier court order of October 20. He said the education department discussed the challenges with regard to the schooling of out-of-school children with all stakeholders and it was agreed that community-based organisations in the respective areas would be involved to overcome the issue.

According to the minutes he submitted, out-of-school children will be enrolled through different age cohorts. Children aged 5 to 9 will be enrolled and mainstreamed with the education system though accelerated learning programmes, while children aged 9 to 16 will be enrolled in adult literacy and vocational training programmes. Those above 16 would be enrolled in adult and general literacy programmes as well as vocational training programmes.

He submitted that the cost of mainstreaming out-of-school children would be addressed through cash-based transfers to participating organisations for providing certified trainings to students and effective monitoring would take place.

The official stated that the assessment of the viability of 15,241 low/no enrolment schools is underway and 2,632 out of 4,560 schools were being rehabilitated by June 2019, while many more projects are in the process for infrastructure development and upgrading of schools.

He informed the court that the education department will use the existing schools with developed infrastructures in the evening shifts for the accelerated learning programmes, while the directorate of non-formal education would be given the role of monitoring and the model of outsourcing and engaging community-based organisations.

It was also suggested that vocational video learning programmes would be designed by the selected top teachers and shared with the out-of-school children so that students may learn through virtual learning. The education secretary sought more time to submit an action plan which will be made with the consensus of all stakeholders, including civil society.

The SHC division bench headed by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar observed that at least five issues have been discussed in the meeting while rest are to be discussed in the further action plan. The court directed the education secretary to submit the said action plan by December 4.