Disputes erupt over schools' privatisation

Authorities say ownership transfer process to proceed peacefully, despite growing unrest

RAWALPINDI:

Following the government's decision to privatise public schools, tensions have escalated regarding the transfer of control. Many school principals and local residents are resisting the handover to private teams.

In a recent incident at the Government Girls Primary School in Gujar Khan, a contractor team attempting to take possession was driven away by local women and children wielding sticks. They warned the five-member team that any further attempts would be met with resistance.

Local leaders emphasised their ownership of the school, stating that the community provided the land free of charge and contributed to the construction, with many youths volunteering their labour. "This school is our property and we will not relinquish it," they asserted. One resident, Haji Muhammad Iqbal, declared that if the school were forcibly taken over, all local children would withdraw, rendering the institution nonviable.

On the day of the incident, a team of two men and three women arrived at the school, demanding that all female teachers vacate immediately. This prompted an uproar from teachers and students, leading neighbourhood youths to join the protest. The contractor team was forcibly removed, refusing to listen to their demands and subsequently retreated.

The local police and the Deputy District Education Officer for Gujar Khan have been informed of the situation, with allegations of abuse and intimidation reported by teachers and residents.

Community leaders Naveed Ahmed and Faisal Ghafoor reiterated that the school was built with local resources and should remain under community control. Nasir Iqbal added that any attempt to take possession would result in the school being locked, preventing contractors from entering.

Yasin Baloch, Chief Executive Officer of the District Education Authority, stated that the government has transferred these schools to the private sector transparently and intends to implement this decision peacefully, noting that approximately 90 children are currently enrolled in the school.

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School privatisation faces major setback

our correspondent

RAWALPINDI. The government's project to privatise and sell public schools has faced a major setback due to teachers' protest demonstrations, boycotts, school closures and the schools' staff's resistance in handing over sold public schools.

More recently, two major NGOs that had purchased a number of public schools have refused to take control of the sold schools in the face of intense protests. They have officially requested more time regarding this matter. The focal person of Read Foundation, Muhammad Tariq, and another NGO, Care Foundation, have refused to take over approximately 100 schools.

As a result, the government's plan to sell an additional 7,000 public schools in phase two of the privatisation plan has faced a major setback. Additionally, individual citizens who have purchased schools are also facing confusion due to strong resistance from local communities and the resulting obstacles that they encounter in taking over the schools.

In the four districts of Rawalpindi division—Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Attock, Chakwal and Murree—local communities are fiercely resisting the handover of sold schools to the private sector. The NGOs that purchased public schools have demanded that the government first transfer public school teachers, relocate all non-teaching staff and further assist them in taking possession of the schools. It has also been reported that the new owners face even more challenges and issues in taking over public schools in rural areas.