LAHORE: In a bid to revolutionize the education sector, the Punjab government has embarked on an ambitious plan to privatize 13,000 public schools across the province.
This initiative, part of the government’s Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, aims to enhance education quality and accessibility for millions of students.
Under this model, the government will provide a subsidy of Rs650 per student per month to private operators, who will be responsible for managing teachers and infrastructure.
This ensures that primary education remains free for students, while the private sector handles operational aspects.
School Privatization in Phases
The government signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with private sector entities to hand over the schools in three main phases.
- Phase 1: 5,863 public schools to be handed over to private sector entities
- Phase 2: 4,000 schools to be transferred to private sector
- Phase 3: 4,000 schools to be transferred to private sector
- Total: 13,863 public schools to be privatized in three phases
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony took place at the Children’s Library Complex in Lahore, with Punjab Minister for School Education Rana Sikandar Hayat as the chief guest.
Agreements were signed with 21 NGOs, 12 educational chains, and one Ed-tech firm, which will collectively manage 3,650 public schools under the PPP model.
Minister Hayat emphasized that this initiative is expected to provide world-class education free of cost to underprivileged students across Punjab.
He further stated that the program aims to bring over 1.8 million out-of-school children back into the education system.
However, the privatization plan has not been without its critics. Punjab Teacher Union (PTU) General Secretary Rana Liaqat expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of the PPP model, arguing that it has failed to deliver results in the past. He raised concerns about the adequacy of the Rs650 per student allocation and hiring practices for teachers.
This comprehensive overhaul of the public education system will continue until September 5, 2024, with additional private partners being selected through a transparent process.
