Plateforme de suivi de l'EPU / UPR monitoring platform

The report submitted by Pakistan deals with the follow-up to the education-related recommendations (recommendations 3, 34 and 36)

B. Education (Recommendations 3, 34 and 36)

91. The literacy rate in Pakistan is 58 percent. 34 It is higher in urban areas than in rural areas. There is also a disparity between men and women and between the provinces. Efforts are being made to remove this disparity and to increase emphasis on education. With the passage of the 18th Amendment to the Constitution, right to free and compulsory education is now recognized as a fundamental right.

92. In July 2012, the Parliament passed a bill to provide free and compulsory education to all children, aged between five and 16 years, in Islamabad. The aim of this is to start a national tradition for providing free education to all children. “Every child regardless of sex, nationality or race shall have the fundamental right to free and compulsory education in a neighbourhood school.” It provides that both boys and girls of migrants, including nonPakistani families should benefit from attending schools.

93. At the federal level, Higher Education Commission (HEC) awards scholarships for higher education in Pakistan and in select universities abroad. Furthermore, programmes like Presidents’ Funni Maharat programme and Prime Minister’s Hunarmand Pakistan Programme have been introduced to increase opportunities of vocational training to the youth. In 2011-12, a total of 134, 118 youth received this training. 35

94. In the Punjab province, a sum of Rs 10 billion have been allocated to the Punjab Education Foundation for promotion of school education in marginalised areas through public-private partnership. Under the Women Empowerment Plan launched in 2012, the Punjab government plans to earmark at least 70 percent of jobs for women in primary education. About 60 percent of the funds out of Punjab Education Sector Reforms Programme will be earmarked for the provision of missing facilities for girls’ schools in the Annual Development Plan for 2012-13.

95. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government has announced an educational emergency in the province aimed at improving literacy rates and standards of education. It has increased its educational budget to 4 percent of its GDP and has allocated 64 Billion PKR for education in the 2012-13 budget. The province has also introduced a policy of establishing daycare centers in women colleges to facilitate students and teachers. 96. In Sindh and Balochistan budget allocations for education have been increased considerably. 36 Sindh will spend PKR 9 billion on education while Balochistan has allocated PKR 22.4 billion for the education sector, most of which would be spent on renovation of school buildings. 

Download the report http://www.upr-info.org/IMG/pdf/A_HRC_WG6_2_PAK_1_E.pdf