The Private Schools Network pledged to boost literacy and ensure free, compulsory education for every child by mobilizing local leaders, traders and civil society across Islamabad. At a seminar held on the occasion of International Literacy Day, the network announced plans to form education committees at the union council level to identify and enroll out-of-school children and urged cooperation between public and private institutions to implement the constitutional right to education.
Speakers stressed that free and compulsory education is a constitutional right that successive governments must enforce. They called on all stakeholders—private schools, government authorities, community leaders and civil society—to play active roles in increasing literacy and expanding access to schooling.
The network outlined a concrete local strategy for the federal capital: establish education committees in every union council to conduct ward-level surveys and bring out-of-school children into classrooms. Specific areas targeted for surveys and outreach include the union councils of Bhara Kahu, Phulgran, Pind and Mira Begwal.
Organizers said the enforcement of education rights will rely on collaboration between public and private educational institutions. They urged stakeholders to set aside political differences and work together to secure basic rights to education and health for all citizens.
Speakers at the seminar included Dr. Muhammad Afzal Babar (founder and central president of the Private Schools Network), Advocate Muhammad Shakeel Abbasi, Raja Zahid Dhanyal, Muhammad Naveed Abbasi, Dr. Masood Naqshbandi, Chaudhry Afzal Hussain, Malik Muhammad Sajad, Syed Manzoor Hussain Shah, Chaudhry Zulfiqar Ali, Anjum Fareed Chaudhry, Muhammad Azam Khan, Rashid Mehmood Abbasi, Saleem Khan, Saeedur Rehman, Hafiz Muhammad Arshad, Saeqa Subhan and Samira Haroon.
Participants also called for the prompt holding of local government elections in the federal capital so that elected local bodies can address education, health and sanitation challenges more effectively.
