Twenty million Pakistani children not in school: UNICEF

Around 20 million children in Pakistan, including an estimated 7.3 million of primary school age are not in school, the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has said.

“Investing in children and their education is vital due to the positive impacts it has on so many socio-economic dimensions. It is therefore imperative that all children in Pakistan, both boys and girls, have the opportunity to attend and complete their schooling,” the Daily Times quoted a UNICEF statement, as saying.

The statement also said that the  “UNICEF is supporting the nationwide ‘Every Child in School’ campaign, which encourages parents and communities to ensure that all primary school-age children are enrolled for the new school year.”

The right of a child to receive education is enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The 18th Amendment of the Pakistan Constitution provides an added opportunity to realise this right, as Article 25A requires the state to provide free and compulsory education to all children between the ages of five and 16, as determined by the law.