PESHAWAR - The Society for the Protection of the Rights of Child (SPARC), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has urged the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to impart free education to street children in order to reintegrate them with their parents.
Speaking at a news conference on Monday here at Peshawar Press Club in connection with the Universal Children Day, SPARC regional manger for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Imran Takkar said that despite the passage of 18th Constitutional Amendment a large number of helpless children may easily be seen in streets across the province involved in child labour. After the implementation of Article 25-A of the constitution, that ensures provision of free education to children up to 16 years of age, he said there was a need for creation of awareness among people regarding the vitality of the right to education.
The incumbent government, he said, has badly failed to conduct a proper survey of street children and to chalk out a comprehensive strategy to impart them with basic education.
Around 1.5 million children were in the streets only in Pakistan, he added.
He also said that under the Child Protection Act 2010, the provincial social welfare and home department should provide protection to street children.
Imran highlighted the harsh attitude of the parents and teachers forcing children to run away from their homes, adding that these children easily becoming victims of different anti-social activities.