ISLAMABAD: Almost 75 percent children of Muslim Colony, a slum area of federal capital, have never attended any school due to lack of facilities and awareness.
There are only two private schools running in the area which are not enough to cater needs of the residents. After a visit by the National Child Protection Center (NCPC), headed by Director NCPC Muhammad Yousaf Shah, community people told that one school is run by Non-government Organization, Roshni Welfare Foundation, while the other is Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan School with limited capacity.
Residents informed that there are 11,300 registered voters in the locality but not a single government school is available for their children. They further stated that their children are facing severe education and health problems as no dispensary is established in this area and they have to take ill children to general hospitals of federal capital, which are far away.
Roshni Welfare Foundation officials said that they are working on education, health and environment issues, but the lack of health and sanitation facilities have made the children prone to diseases. The director NCPC told the area people that Ministry of Human Rights (MOHR) is working exclusively to ensure a safe and secure environment for children.
He informed that they would establish ‘two child Complex’ under ministry of Human Rights with complete facilities for street children. He informed that they are currently running a non-formal school for children involved in begging at traffic signals. He stated that children are future of the nation and education, health are their fundamental rights.
The NCPC head stated that their target is to get every child of the federal capital in schools. He assured the people of the areas that their grievances would be redressed soon and they would take steps to ensure rights of native children. The NCPC team also visited shrine of Bari Imam and took serious notice of the children involved in beggary.
