A petition has been filed with the Sindh High Court (SHC) demanding the implementation of the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Policy of 2015 and the Sindh Education Sector Plan of 2018. The aim is to prioritize early childhood education within the education system, ensuring adequate funding and effective policy execution.
The petition, filed by Shahzad Qamar, argues that the ongoing neglect of ECCE policies is negatively impacting children’s right to quality education, as guaranteed by Article 25-A of the Constitution. Qamar emphasizes that early childhood education is crucial for cognitive, social, and emotional development. According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), early education lays the foundation for lifelong learning and success.
Recent reports, Qamar notes, reveal a crisis in Sindh’s early childhood education sector. Data from the World Bank shows that Sindh has one of the lowest enrollment rates in early childhood education in Pakistan, with fewer than 30% of children aged three to five enrolled in preschool programs.
The petition highlights that the lack of proper learning environments, play areas, and age-appropriate materials denies children their fundamental right to quality education. This unequal access, Qamar argues, breaches Article 25-A, which mandates the state to provide free and compulsory education to all children.
Despite the Sindh Education Sector Plan of 2018’s goal to improve access for marginalized groups, its implementation has been minimal, leading to slow progress in expanding early childhood education services. Qamar points out that insufficient government will and resources have left thousands of children in rural and marginalized communities without their basic educational rights, perpetuating poverty and exclusion.
Pakistan is a signatory to international conventions, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) framework. These commitments, Qamar argues, obligate the government to ensure access to quality early childhood education for every child.
The SHC is asked to direct the education department to take immediate and concrete steps to fully implement the ECCE Policy of 2015 and the Sindh Education Sector Plan of 2018. This includes prioritizing early childhood education with sufficient budgetary allocations and effective policy execution.
The petition also requests the SHC to instruct the government to establish a robust monitoring system to track progress and quality in early childhood education. This should include integrating early childhood education data into the Education Management Information System (EMIS) for regular reporting on policy implementation, resource use, and educational outcomes.