Punjab’s Education Department has approved the fourth phase of outsourcing government schools, bringing 600 high schools into the program for the first time.
The phase covers 6,460 schools, including 5,860 primary and middle schools. The department has also decided to close schools with enrollments of up to 100 students. It has already outsourced 13,600 schools across the first three phases.
The department has directed government schools to continue admissions through October 31 and stop accepting new students from November 1. School heads have been instructed to complete the admission process by the deadline.
Teachers’ organizations and parents have condemned the decision and called for its withdrawal. Punjab Teachers Union Central President Sufi Ramzan Inqalabi, Education Pensioners Association Secretary Shafiq Bhalwalia, and former Headmasters Association President Dr. Sagheer Alam said outsourcing had increased the number of children leaving school.
They warned that including high schools in the program could force many girls in rural areas to leave their education. They also urged the authorities to protect high schools, citing their extensive campuses and facilities.
Teachers’ groups said they would launch protests in coordination with non-teaching staff organizations. They also warned that the next phase could declare regular teachers surplus and replace them with daily-wage staff hired on fixed lump-sum salaries.
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