LAHORE: On Thursday, the Punjab government launched the privatization of 13,000 public schools across the province as part of a broader Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiative aimed at transforming the education sector. This step is designed to enhance the quality of education and improve accessibility for millions of students.
The Punjab Education Foundation (PEF), which manages 13,000 primary schools with an enrollment of about 18 million students, has initiated this major overhaul. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed with private sector entities to transfer 5,863 public schools in the first phase of the plan. The subsequent phases will see the transfer of 4,000 schools each, leading to a comprehensive reform of the public education system.
Under the PPP model, the government will provide Rs650 per student per month to the private sector, which will manage teachers and infrastructure. This initiative aims to keep primary education free for students while the private sector handles the operational aspects of the schools.
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The MoU signing ceremony was held at the Children’s Library Complex in Lahore, with Punjab Minister for School Education Rana Sikandar Hayat as the chief guest. Other attendees included School Education Department (SED) Secretary Khalid Nazir Wattoo, Parliamentary Secretary for School Education Nosheen Adnan, Member Chief Minister’s Task Force Muzammil Mehmood, Programme Monitoring and Implementation Unit (PMIU) Director Farooq Rasheed, and PEF Managing Director Shahid Farid.
Agreements were signed with 21 NGOs, 12 educational chains, and one Ed-tech firm, collectively managing 3,650 public schools under the PPP model. The process of finalizing agreements with additional private partners will continue until September 5, 2024.
Minister Hayat emphasized that this initiative aims to provide high-quality education free of cost to underprivileged students and bring over 1.8 million out-of-school children back into the education system. The program also includes capacity building for teachers and upgrades for high-performing primary schools to the elementary level.
Despite the ambitious goals, the privatization plan has faced criticism. Punjab Teacher Union (PTU) General Secretary Rana Liaqat expressed doubts about the effectiveness of the PPP model, citing past failures and concerns about the adequacy of the Rs650 per student allocation. He also criticized the hiring practices, noting that many teachers with qualifications below matriculation are employed on low salaries. Liaqat suggested that the funds could be better utilized for afternoon schools and hiring interns with a minimum salary of Rs15,000.
