Govt accelerates schools' privatisation

Adds 7,000 more public schools to the list, totalling 20,000

RAWALPINDI:

Amid an ongoing economic crisis, the government has decided to accelerate the privatisation of public schools, adding 7,000 more to the list, bringing the total to 20,000. For the first time, high schools have also been included.

In the Rawalpindi Division alone, 2,348 schools across six districts will be handed over to NGOs, with plans to privatise all primary schools across the province.

Teachers and union leaders will be issued show-cause notices under the PEDA Act, in response to protests against privatisation that disrupt the teaching system.

According to sources in the Education Department, the second phase of privatisation, starting in October, will include primary schools with no teachers or only one or two teachers, as well as schools with low student enrolment. High schools with poor matric board results will also be privatised.

Protests by teachers against the privatisation in the Rawalpindi Division continue, with classrooms being locked and teaching completely halted. Teachers have started sitting in protest in school corridors and grounds. Due to the complete strike, the teaching system in government schools has been paralysed for the past eight days, leading to significantly low student attendance. Teachers arrive at schools to protest while banners and placards against the sale of schools, leave encashment, and changes to pension rules have been displayed throughout all government schools.

Leaders of the Grand Teachers Alliance, including Malik Amjad, Basharat Iqbal Raja, Shafiq Bhalwalia, and Abdul Rauf Kiyani, stated that privatisation will not be accepted under any circumstances. No matter how many show-cause notices are issued, the protests will not end. They emphasised that they are currently peaceful, but if their demands are not met, they will organise a long march.