19,000 New Govt Schools Are Needed in Punjab

Punjab is grappling with a significant shortfall in government schools, with only around 38,000 public educational institutions available for a population of approximately 130 million. According to a recent report by the Population Council, this scarcity, coupled with inadequate infrastructure, is a major factor contributing to the province’s high student dropout rate.

The report emphasizes that Punjab requires nearly 19,000 additional schools over the next 15 years to meet the educational needs of its growing population. It urges the provincial government to prioritize education in its upcoming budget and allocate substantial funding for building new schools.

With a population growth rate exceeding 2.5%, the rising number of school-age children has created mounting pressure on the public education system. The report estimates that around 10 million children aged 5 to 15 remain out of school in Punjab, largely due to the unavailability of educational facilities.

A senior official from the Punjab School Education Department noted that the province currently has approximately 21,702 primary, 7,200 middle, 8,000 high, and 800 higher secondary schools spread across 36 districts. Despite this network, no new government school has been established in Lahore since 2011, highlighting a long-standing neglect in infrastructure development. Many newly developed housing areas across cities still lack access to public schools.

The official also expressed concern over the government’s recent push to outsource public schools, a policy met with resistance from educators who argue it sidelines the needs of underprivileged families. These families, already struggling with poverty, are further disadvantaged when access to free public education is limited or unavailable.

Punjab Teachers Union Secretary General Rana Liaqat Ali criticized the outsourcing policy, stating that the shortage of public schools is a well-known issue among educators. “We protested against outsourcing because we knew it wouldn’t solve the real problem,” he said. He welcomed the attention brought to the issue by international NGOs and urged the provincial authorities to act in the best interest of future generations.

He also called for the establishment of new government colleges and universities to accommodate the growing student population and ensure continued educational progress in Punjab.

Rana expressed hope that the upcoming provincial budget would reflect a renewed commitment to public education through significant investment in school construction and improvement.