NA passes the Right to Free & Compulsory Education Bill

ISLAMABAD: National Assembly unanimously passed "The Right to Free and Compulsory Education Bill‚ 2012" (RFCE) moved by Yasmeen Rehman.

The bill provides for free and compulsory education to all children of the age of five to sixteen years and ten percent quota in all the private educational institutions has been reserved for poor children besides penalty up to Rs50,000 or six months imprisonment provided in the bill. The bill has already been passed by the Senate.

Speaking on the occasion‚ Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khurshid Shah said that the free and compulsory education for children is the basic priority of the government. He expressed hope that after the passage of the bill, provinces will also follow suit and make legislation accordingly.

Six bills were also introduced in the National Assembly today. The bills are: "The Control of Narcotics Substances (Amendment) Bill‚ 2012‚ "The Pakistan Psychological Regulatory Authority Bill‚ 2012"‚ The Pakistan Food Security for Poor People Bill‚ 2012"‚ The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill‚ 2012"‚The Protection and Welfare of Khawaja Saras Rights Bill‚ 2012"‚ "The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill‚ 2012".