The Punjab government has completed the privatization of 350 government schools in Rawalpindi and 5,863 across the province, dealing a significant blow to public education in the region. This decision comes despite protests and strikes by teachers’ organizations. This week, all these schools will be officially handed over to NGOs, the Punjab Education Foundation (PEF), and various purchasing groups.
In the second phase, an additional 7,137 government schools will be privatized. The scrutiny process is currently underway following the receipt of applications. These schools are scheduled to reopen under private management from August 15.
Teachers from the 5,863 privatized government schools have been given the option to transfer to other government schools. The new management will hire their teachers and headmasters. Salaries for administrators and principals in the privatized schools have been set at Rs50,000, while teachers will receive between Rs30,000 and Rs40,000.
Recruitment based on these salaries has already begun, and official notifications transferring these schools to the private sector have been issued. The second phase of privatization is expected to be completed by August 14.
Teachers’ organizations have vehemently opposed the privatization. Abdul Rauf Kayani, head of the Punjab Primary, Elementary, and Secondary Teachers Association, criticized the government, stating that it is constitutionally obligated to provide free education from primary to matriculation.
He accused the Punjab government of violating the constitution by selling government schools, arguing that this move could lead to the acquisition of valuable land worth billions of rupees in commercial areas. Kayani warned of strong protests against the privatization.
Muhammad Shafiq Bhalwalia, Central Secretary of the Punjab SES Teachers Association, voiced concerns that privatization would make education more expensive and increase fees across Punjab. He pointed out that the sale of primary schools would negatively impact children from poor families, who may be unable to afford the new fees.
The decision to transfer teachers from the sold schools has also been met with criticism. Educators Association President Basharat Iqbal Raja warned that privatization would lead to an increase in the number of out-of-school children.
Currently, 27 million children are out of school in Punjab. Raja predicted that this number would rise to 30 million due to higher fees and the absence of free books, forcing children from poor families to drop out of school.
The education department has issued instructions to all district education officers to reclaim government property from the schools being privatized.
This directive has further fueled the controversy surrounding the privatization initiative, which many believe will undermine access to education for underprivileged children and disrupt the public education system.
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The worst of the desicion by an incompetent government…. Privatisation of major industries in Pakistan had shaken the economic base of this country… Now this stupid decision will shake our intellectual and educational foundation forever
….
Good . 👍
Now u must pay to study . Funny how taxes have not been lessened .
Just sell the country . Ambani will buy
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And this is how our country will go down . Lumber 1 did it again
No more education
No more health
No more facilities
Another bangladesh in the making . And they hate israel . Lol
How fast they sell the schools, i wish if the same govt privatise wapda, railway and pia with the same speed.
The privatisation of govt schools are not only govt failure but incompetence of govt teachers as well who miserably failed to provide quality education from decades.
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Good plan to schools will private. Therefore big opportunity to everyone for better future.
I am so interested in online job
Weird how every state-paid scoundrel is against. Government employment in Pakistan is considered a license to loot and plunder state resources. Kudos to the Punjab government for this initiative as many of these schools were barely or outright non functioning. To the sarkari babus who consider this a threat, I wish the gov comes after your lazy bums. Teachers must be respected but when they commit to their duties.