Speakers at a public dialogue said education helps a lot in poverty alleviation but it must be according to market demands blended with technical and vocational education so that youth could earn livelihood. The public dialogue was organised by 'Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi' (ITA) in league with UNESCO, UNICEF, National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) and the Pakistan Coalition for Education (PCE), here on Wednesday.
The dialogue was organised in connection with Global Action Week - Education for All (EFA) 2011. More than 130 youth champions, parliamentarians and human rights activists demanded urgent action for promoting women's education in Pakistan, as a fundamental right, backed by Article 25 A under the Constitution. Speakers were of the view that education without quality is of little value. Teachers could play their part by making learning more relevant and innovative.
They stressed that media could play an important role in promoting women's education as the first pillar for social change in the world. Both, the state parties and parents need to comply with Article 25 A of the Constitution. Country Director UNESCO Kozue Kay Nagata said that women's education should now become a reality in Pakistan. She endorsed all the suggestions made during the dialogue to empower women through quality education. She said that the 18th Amendment of the Constitution and Article 25 A guarantee education as a fundamental right for girls and boys.
ITA Chairperson, Baela Raza Jamil's call to making Global Action Week for EFA 2011 the beginning of a movement for five years up to 2015 is fully endorsed. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2009 and the Constitution seeks to positively address the gender gap and equity issues.
The dialogue was also inception for the signature and petition campaign through stamped post cards and signature sheets to the highest decision makers of Pakistan demanding 'Education a Right for Girls and Women'. The panellists who shared their views included Saira Afzal Tarar MNA PML-N from Punjab, Farhana Azim Chairperson Pakistan Girl Guides Association (PGGA), Maryam Bibi, CEO of Khwendo Kor in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Tahira Abdullah a human rights activist, Zehra Arshad heading Pakistan Coalition for Education (PCE).
The young champions also shared their own unique stories of commitment as young citizens and asked for the promotion of girls and boys education and political reform for education for all. Dr Nafisa Shah, Chairperson NCHD spoke eloquently about the nexus of terrorism and illiteracy. She appreciated that the Global Week for EFA is being observed to get attention of the government demanding girls and women's right to education.
The public dialogue ended with important decisions mainly welcoming Article 25 A as a Constitutional & Fundamental Right to education for all children/citizens aged between 5-16 years and addressing household poverty through stipends to girls up to grade X and school feeding programmes encouraging families to send their female children to school.