The Punjab government has taken a significant step in reforming its education system by signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with private sector partners. This agreement will initially transfer 5,863 public schools to private management as part of the first phase of the privatization plan.
The second and third phases will follow, with an additional 4,000 schools being privatized in each phase, signaling a major shift in how public education is handled in the province.
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Government to Pay Rs 650 per Student
On Aug 29, the Punjab govt started a big change in the education system by beginning the process of privatizing 13,000 public schools across the province. This move is part of a new Public-Private Partnership (PPP) plan aimed at improving the quality of education and making it more accessible to students.
Under the new Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, the govt will contribute Rs 650 per student each month to the private entities. These private organizations will handle the management of teachers and ensure that the necessary infrastructure is in place.
The aim of this arrangement is to keep primary education free while allowing the private sector to manage the day-to-day operations of the schools.
Highlights of Privatization of Government Schools in Punjab
- Privatization Scope
- The initiative will start with schools that have few or no permanent teachers.
- Schools in Rawalpindi and other districts will be included in this plan.
- Objective
- The goal is to enhance the quality of education through private management while still maintaining public oversight.
- This effort aims to provide better facilities and educational resources to millions of students.
- Implementation
- The Punjab Education Foundation (PEF) oversees these schools, which collectively serve around 18 million students.
- Schools are required to submit detailed information about their facilities, including classrooms, staff rooms, and student enrollment numbers.
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Concerns Over Privatization Costs and Teacher Quality
Rana Liaqat, General Secretary of the Punjab Teachers Union, has doubts about the new Public-Private Partnership (PPP) plan for schools. He feels this model hasn’t worked well in the past and is worried that the Rs650 per student might not be enough for private companies to run the schools properly and maintain quality education.
Teachers’ groups, including Liaqat, Basharat Iqbal Raja, and Muhammad Shafiq Bhalwalia, are concerned that privatizing schools could raise education costs and fees for students. They also fear that dropping the free textbook system might lead to fewer students enrolling in Govt schools.
Liaqat also criticized how teachers are hired under the new plan. He pointed out that some teachers have low qualifications and are paid very little, just Rs5,000 a month. He suggested that the government should use the money to support afternoon schools and hire school interns with a minimum salary of Rs 15,000 to teach students for one or two hours each day.
