KHUJAND, March 4, 2011, Asia-Plus  -- A woman from the northern city of Istaravshan may be punished for her son’s truancy.

According to the Sughd police directorate, Malohat Azizova faces charge of not sending her son (sixth grader) to school.  “Her son, Firouz Salimov, has missed school since 2010,” the source said.

The Istaravshan prosecutor’s office has instituted criminal proceedings against Malohat Azizova under the provisions of Article 164 of Tajikistan’s Penal Code – preventing from getting nine-year compulsory education, and an investigation is under way.

We will recall that a court in Sughd’s Mastchoh district on January 13 passed sentence on local resident whose children failed for months to attend school.  Taking into account poor economic conditions of the family, the court imposed a fine of 3,500 somoni (100 accounting indicators -- the accounting indicator for this year is set at the rate of 35.00 somoni) on him.

Besides, two men in Qurghon Teppa, Khatlon province were also punished last August for not sending their children to school.  The Qurghon Teppa court imposed fines of 3,500 somoni on them.

The constitution obliges parents to enable their children to attend school and that all children between the ages of seven and 16 must do so.