The Government of Punjab has privatized 350 schools in Rawalpindi and 5,863 across the province, significantly impacting public education. Despite protests from teachers’ organizations, these schools will be handed over to NGOs, the Punjab Education Foundation (PEF), and various purchasing groups this week.
In the second phase, an additional 7,137 government schools will be privatized. The scrutiny process is ongoing, and these schools are set to reopen under private management from August 15.
Teachers from the privatized schools can transfer to other government schools, while the new management will hire their staff. Administrators and principals in these schools will earn Rs50,000, and teachers will receive between Rs30,000 and Rs40,000. Recruitment is underway, and notifications have been issued.
Teachers’ organizations strongly oppose the privatization. Abdul Rauf Kayani, head of the Punjab Primary, Elementary, and Secondary Teachers Association, accused the government of violating the constitution, which mandates free education from primary to matriculation. He warned of significant protests and highlighted concerns about the acquisition of valuable land.
Muhammad Shafiq Bhalwalia, Central Secretary of the Punjab SES Teachers Association, expressed concerns that privatization would increase education costs and fees, negatively impacting children from poor families. Basharat Iqbal Raja, President of the Educators Association, warned that privatization could increase the number of out-of-school children in Punjab, which currently stands at 27 million, potentially rising to 30 million due to higher fees and the lack of free books.
The education department has instructed district education officers to reclaim government property from the privatized schools, further fueling the controversy. Many believe this initiative will undermine access to education for underprivileged children and disrupt the public education system.
Related: Punjab Govt Unveils New Fee Structure for Colleges
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