PESHAWAR: Two resolutions were tabled in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly seeking the provision of absent facilities to government schools, and to retain allocation of 70 percent of educational development budget for girls’ education for a third straight year.
According to a press statement issued on Wednesday, the first resolution was jointly moved by 27 legialtors representing the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Jamiat Ulema-e Islam-Fazl and Awami National Party, seeking the retention of budget allocation in the forthcoming budget.
The second resolution was moved by JUI-F MP Naeema Kishwar Khan which called for the provision of facilities including restrooms, clean drinking water, furniture, electricity, boundary wall and other facilities in all Govt schools.
“The upcoming budget for education is thereby crucial for many reasons. Government must ensure equitable allocation and spending of budget 2021-2022 to address the challenges for girls’ education especially, which have been further aggravated by the crisis of COVID-19,” the resolution read.
Women’s Parliamentary Caucus chief Sumera Shams said: “During Covid-19, girls remain at greater risk, than boys, of not attending or staying in schools due to child marriage, poverty and disproportionately bearing the burden of housework and care for family members.”
“The PTI government is vigilant of these issues and committed to eliminate these barriers through more allocation and efficient spending.”
ANP MPA Shagufta Malik said: “Girls secondary education is now on the top priority agenda of women parliamentarians and we will play our meaningful legislative oversight role beyond our party lines to provide girls across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with safe, quality, gender-transformative education so they may find their voices and learn to lead.”
Civil society organisations and education right activists lauded the introduction of the resolutions by the parliamentarians.
Blue Veins programme coordinator Qamar Naseem said that “education is one of the sectors that got hit the hardest by the Covid-19 pandemic, exacerbating the existing gender inequalities and digital divide.”
“The upcoming budget needs to take cognisance of these challenges and accord a bigger thrust on augmenting educational opportunities and resources for the girl child, especially at the secondary level,” he added.
