Former Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has raised serious concerns about the proposed Education Bill, describing it as prescriptive and lacking measures to address the real challenges faced by families.
While making his submission to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights, Sayed-Khaiyum says the Bill focuses more on penalties than solutions.
He says this includes provisions that allow for parents to be fined or jailed if their children fail to attend school.
He stresses that the Bill does not take into account the socioeconomic conditions of families as many parents struggle with low incomes.
Sayed-Khaiyum explains that financial pressures, including rising costs of living, directly impact a family’s ability to support their children’s education.
He also highlighted what he described as a contradiction with the Constitution, which guarantees children the right to family care, protection and guidance.
According to him, penalising parents through fines or imprisonment could undermine family structures, especially in cases involving single parents who may have no alternative childcare support.
The former Attorney General further says that poverty-related factors such as lack of food, transport and basic necessities can discourage children from attending school.
He adds that issues like teenage pregnancies and limited access to essential items, including sanitary products for schoolgirls, are not adequately addressed in the Bill.
Sayed-Khaiyum emphasised that education reform should take a more holistic approach.
He warned that without addressing underlying economic and social challenges, the Bill risks placing additional burdens on already struggling families.
He also questioned the quality of the draft legislation, stating that some provisions appear poorly constructed and fail to align with broader constitutional principles.
