Islamabad, April 16: Private schools in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, are neglecting their commitment to provide a 10 percent scholarship quota for economically disadvantaged students. This issue has prompted a legal challenge in the Islamabad High Court. According to the petition, adherence to the ‘Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2012’ is essential.
Experts report that these educational institutions are violating the law, generating annual revenues of five to six billion Pakistani Rupees (PKR).
An editorial in the prominent Pakistani newspaper, The Express Tribune, details the arbitrary practices of these schools. The intent behind implementing the scholarship quota was to benefit talented students from weaker backgrounds, thereby improving their future prospects.
The editorial estimates that at least 38,900 students have been deprived of this right. It sarcastically notes that if legal actions against these private institutions continue at the current pace, this number is likely to rise. Furthermore, the scholarship quota alone is insufficient to rectify the damage. These private institutions should be compelled to return all unlawfully earned funds and compensate students who have missed transformative educational opportunities.
Last month, a report exposed the dire state of education in Pakistan, revealing that approximately 28 percent of children aged 5-16 do not attend school. Alarmingly, the dropout rate is higher among girls, with 34 percent not enrolled compared to 22 percent of boys. This issue is particularly pronounced in rural areas, where gender inequality is stark.
The Express Tribune referenced a Gallup Pakistan HIES survey, indicating that two-thirds of Pakistanis aged ten and above have attended school at some point, yet educational standards remain inconsistent. The national literacy rate in Pakistan stands at 63 percent, with male literacy at 73 percent and female literacy at 52 percent.
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