ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Rana Tanveer Hussain has said Pakistan is among the top five countries with the highest figures for out-of-school children globally. He said this while speaking as ‘chief guest’ on the closing ceremony of an Inter-Board Bilingual Declamation Competition held here at Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU), Islamabad on Wednesday, where students from all over Pakistan participated.

On the occasion of 50th anniversary of the Constitution of Pakistan, the Inter Board Committee of Chairmen (IBCC) organized the Inter-Board Bilingual Declamation Competition in three different phases i.e. on Board Level, Province Level and on National Level. The theme for the competition was “My Constitution-Guarantee of My Freedoms,” which aimed to promote awareness among students about the importance of the Constitution and how it guarantees their fundamental rights and freedoms.

The competition was held in both English and Urdu languages, and the participants presented their speeches with great zeal and enthusiasm. Addressing the closing ceremony, the Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Rana Tanveer Hussain congratulated the students for their outstanding performance and emphasized the significance of the Constitution in safeguarding the rights of the citizens. He encouraged the students to continue their efforts to promote awareness about the Constitution and its role in shaping the country’s future. He said the Constitution of Pakistan 1973 guarantees fundamental rights to the citizens of Pakistan, including the right to life, liberty, and education.

The Minister said Pakistan is among the top five countries with the highest figures for out-of-school children globally. He said as per NCRC report, Pakistan has 22.8 million children between 5 and 16 years old – world’s second highest number of out-of-school children”. He said by June 2023, no child in Islamabad will be deprived of the basic right of education. The IBCC Secretary, Prof Dr Ghulam Ali Mallah, appreciated the efforts of the students and expressed his gratitude to the Minister for his support in organizing the event. He highlighted the importance of such competitions in promoting the culture of public speaking and instilling a sense of responsibility among the youth towards their country.

The competition concluded with the announcement of winners. The participants were awarded shields for their outstanding performance. The event was a huge success and served as a great platform to promote awareness about the Constitution and its significance in guaranteeing the fundamental rights and freedoms of the citizens.