Punjab to Privatize More Low-Enrollment Public Schools After Eid
Lahore – The Punjab government has decided to hand over another batch of low-enrollment public schools to the private sector after Eid, in a bid to improve efficiency and learning outcomes. Officials from the School Education Department confirmed that the step is part of the ongoing Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, under which non-governmental organizations and private education foundations will be tasked with managing schools that have consistently low student attendance and poor academic results.
According to initial reports, the schools shortlisted for privatization are those with enrollment figures below the minimum threshold set by the department. Many of these institutions, located in both rural and semi-urban areas, have faced chronic issues such as teacher absenteeism, lack of resources, and limited parental interest.
“The government is committed to ensuring that children do not suffer due to ineffective management. Partnering with reputable private organizations will help bring in better accountability and improved teaching methods,” a senior official stated.
While the government argues that this transition will enhance education quality, teachers’ unions and some parents have expressed concerns. They fear that privatization could eventually lead to fee structures that exclude children from low-income families.
Education experts, however, point out that the PPP model has shown mixed results in Punjab. Some schools under private management have improved significantly in enrollment and academic performance, while others continue to struggle.
The provincial government is expected to release the final list of schools and their new managing partners soon after Eid. A monitoring framework is also being developed to track performance indicators, including enrollment growth, student achievement, and teacher attendance.
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خلاصہ (اردو میں):
پنجاب حکومت نے عید کے بعد کم انرولمنٹ والے مزید سرکاری اسکولز نجی شعبے کے حوالے کرنے کا فیصلہ کیا ہے۔ حکومت کا کہنا ہے کہ اس اقدام سے تعلیمی معیار بہتر ہوگا، لیکن اساتذہ تنظیموں نے خدشات کا اظہار کیا ہے۔
