The existence of ghost schools — those that exist only on paper but are nowhere to be found in reality — is a deeply troubling issue in Karachi’s public education system. While Karachi is a bustling, vibrant city full of life and potential, many government schools listed in official records are completely non-functional. Some of these so-called schools have no buildings, no teachers and no students. Others are locked, abandoned or being used for purposes other than education.
Shockingly, funds are still being allocated for these institutions, raising serious questions about corruption, mismanagement and lack of accountability in the education department. Thousands of children in underserved areas of Karachi are denied their basic right to education while public money is quietly wasted on non-existent schools. This is not just administrative negligence, but a betrayal of the future of our children.
The relevant authorities must conduct a transparent and thorough audit of all registered schools in Karachi. They must identify and take legal action against those responsible for creating and maintaining ghost schools. Public education should not be allowed to rot under the weight of political interference, fake records and unchecked corruption. Karachi deserves better. Its children deserve real classrooms, real teachers and a real chance at learning — not ghost promises.
Mehwish Fazal
Karachi
