Punjab Extends Afternoon School Program

The Punjab government has decided to retain and expand the school initiative originally introduced under former Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar’s administration, albeit with a new identity. The “Insaf Afternoon School Programme” has now been rebranded as the “Afternoon Schools Programme”, dropping the word “Insaf” from its title and school signage.

As part of the initiative’s expansion, 200 additional middle schools, including several in the Rawalpindi Division, have been upgraded to high schools. These schools will operate as middle schools in the morning and high schools in the afternoon, with new admissions already underway. A budget of Rs 475.936 million has been allocated for this upgrade.

Under the revised structure, students who have completed middle school are being promoted to these upgraded schools. Teachers who voluntarily opt to teach in the second shift will be compensated with an additional honorarium.

Each district in Punjab has selected two to seven rural schools for the program, particularly in areas where high schools are not easily accessible. The program, initially launched in 2020 to address educational needs in remote rural areas, now includes nearly 2,000 functioning afternoon schools across the province.

To ensure effective implementation, the Punjab Education Ministry has formed special monitoring committees in 43 districts. These committees, comprised of selected teachers, will conduct surprise inspections and submit performance reports. Notable members include Fahmida Abbasi and Nasir Saleem Satti (Rawalpindi), Muhammad Kashif and Zaheer Matloob (Jhelum), and Muhammad Ubaid Ashfaq, Samer Hussain, and Jahangir Ahmed (Attock).

In a parallel development, the provincial government is proceeding with the privatization of 5,500 government schools and implementing a comprehensive teacher rationalization process. This restructuring, which begins in April and is set to be completed by May 31, aims to address teacher surplus and optimize resource distribution. Surplus educators will be moved to a designated surplus pool.

Under the new staffing guidelines:

• Primary schools will require one Primary School Head Teacher (PSHT) and one Early Childhood Education (ECE) teacher.

• Teacher deployment will be based on the student-to-classroom ratio:

  • For up to 70 students (2–3 classrooms): 1 Primary School Teacher (PST)

  • 105 students (3–4 classrooms): 1 PST and 1 Headmaster/Senior PST

  • 140–175 students (5–6 classrooms): 2 PSTs and 1–2 Senior PSTs

  • For every 35 additional students: 1 extra PST

  • For every 70 additional students: 1 extra Senior PST

This rationalisation framework is causing concern among senior primary teachers, who fear potential displacement. The government, however, insists the changes are essential for streamlining public education and ensuring equitable teacher distribution before the summer break begins.