Educational backwardness is a critical issue in Pakistan; according to official estimates, approximately 26.2 million children in the country are out of school, representing about 36 percent of the total school-age population. Official data provided by the Ministry of Education to the National Assembly indicates that this group comprises children of primary, middle, and high school age.      Taking serious note of this issue, the Punjab government mandated that private schools provide free education to 10 percent of students in every class. The Punjab Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Act 2022 was formally approved by the Governor of Punjab on October 21, 2022, and published on October 24, 2022, via notification number PAP/Legis-3(50)/2020/45; unfortunately, however, this notification could not be implemented due to the bad intation of Education Department officials and private school owners.     However, given the gravity of the situation, a recent meeting of the Punjab Assembly's Standing Committee on School Education was held on Monday, July 27, 2026. The meeting was presided over by the committee's chairman, Malik Nosher Khan Anjum Langrial. The standing committee has directed all private schools to reserve 10 percent of their seats for the free education of deserving students. The committee warned that the licenses of schools violating these orders could be revoked.    

With reference to the aforementioned notification, I wish to draw the attention of the heads of Christian educational institutions and the members of education boards managed by various churches to this matter. Reports from organizations such as the 'National Council for Justice and Peace' (NCJP) indicate that the average literacy rate among Pakistani Christians is approximately 34 percent—significantly lower than the national average—and that nearly 64 percent of Christian children remain out of school. If Christian educational institutions were to begin providing free education to Christian children—covering 10 percent of the enrollment in each class, in accordance with the government-issued notification—it could herald a major educational revolution, enabling thousands of deserving Christian students to receive a quality education.

Here is a brief overview of Christian educational institutions: The Catholic Church operates a total of 534 schools, 8 colleges, and 7 technical institutes across Pakistan. These institutions are managed at the regional level by the 'Catholic Board of Education, Pakistan' through its various dioceses. Although the 'Church of Pakistan' does not publish a single consolidated national figure, it runs an extensive and decentralized network of approximately 150 to 200 formal schools and colleges across its eight regional dioceses. Since this church operates as a unified entity—encompassing Anglican, Methodist, Lutheran, and Presbyterian traditions .Therefore, each geographical diocese independently manages its educational affairs through 'Diocesan Boards of Education.' The 'Presbyterian Education Board' (PEB) operates 25 schools in Pakistan's Punjab province, with an enrollment of over 6,000 students. The 'Salvation Army' runs three schools in Pakistan. According to the Adventist organizational directory, two major educational institutions operate under the direct management and registration of the 'Seventh-day Adventist Church' (Pakistan Union Section) in Pakistan.

Are these Christian institutions providing free education to 10% of deserving, poor, and needy Christian children in accordance with the notification issued in 2022? The 'Right of Access to Information Act, 2017' is a federal law in Pakistan that grants citizens transparent access to government records. This law ensures the implementation of Article 19-A of the Constitution, curbs corruption, and holds the government accountable. The Act is administered and enforced by the 'Pakistan Information Commission.' According to the available information, these institutions have failed to implement the notification, a lapse that could lead to the cancellation of their registration.

 

Speaking on this subject, I will go a step beyond the notification itself. Church-run schools in Pakistan are legally registered under the laws governing welfare societies, trusts, and non-profit organizations. They operate under the same regulatory umbrella as other educational and charitable non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The entities managing these institutions adhere to the fundamental legal frameworks for registration; most church schools are registered under the legal frameworks applicable to schools and welfare societies.

When a welfare organization is registered under the 'Societies Registration Act, 1860', it is required to prepare and submit two fundamental constitutional documents: the Memorandum of Association. This document specifies the organization's name, the address of its registered office, and its clearly defined "objectives" (such as the provision of educational services or assistance to minority communities). When such organizations submit their list of aims and objectives, it includes a commitment to provide free educational facilities to poor and needy Christian children.

Following the 2022 Ordinance and the Right to Information Act of 2017, Christian educational institutions must not consider themselves unaccountable or beyond regulation. Operating in the name of Christianity, these institutions should move away from commercialism and play an effective role in eradicating the educational backwardness of the Christian community. Otherwise, today’s informed youth may hold you accountable—questioning the benefits you enjoy as welfare institutions and the actual contribution you are making toward the educational advancement of Christians despite reaping rewards in their name. Failing to provide a satisfactory response could lead to legal proceedings in higher courts; therefore, it is essential that the rights of the deserving are duly hono