Admissions in govt schools hit all-time low

Several principals suspended for inflating admissions data.

RAWALPINDI:

The latest phase of admissions in government schools from Class I to Class IX, which began on August 15, has been a failure, with only one new student admitted during the first three days.

Meanwhile, 17 headmasters and headmistresses have been suspended for inflating admissions data by creating fake entries. Legal action will be initiated under the Punjab Employees Efficiency, Discipline, and Accountability (PEEDA) Act.

The suspended officials, hailing from Rawalpindi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, and Bahawal divisions, have been ordered to report to the Chief Executive Officers of their respective District Education Authorities.

The education department had already observed a record-low admission rate during the first phase of the admission drive, which ran from February to May 31. The second phase, which began after summer vacations on August 15, has so far been equally unsuccessful. The declining enrollment in government schools is alarming, with parents increasingly opting for private schools instead.

Divisional President of the All Pakistan Private Schools Management Association, Abrar Ahmed Khan, warned that the number of out-of-school children in Punjab, currently at 28 million, could rise to 30 million by December 2025 if no corrective actions are taken.

Before the privatisation process in Punjab, there were 47,000 government schools, while the number of private schools was 250,000.

Muhammad Shafiq Bhalwalia, Central Secretary General of the Punjab SES Teachers Association, blamed the government's privatisation policies for the declining performance of government schools, predicting further drops in enrollment and a deterioration of the public education system if these policies continue.