It was the final week of May, and Amar Gul, a 24-year-old history teacher passionate about her job at a private school in Islamabad, dedicated herself to designing lesson plans and organising extracurricular activities. She had just begun to feel settled in her role, often staying back late to help with school events, when out of the blue, the principal called for a quick meeting.
It came as quite a shock to her when she was informed her that her contract would not be renewed for the upcoming academic year, because of budget cuts for the upcoming academic session. There was no performance discussion, nor a written notice or severance package. Just an abrupt dismissal and a suggestion to “keep in touch!”
Saima Bibi, a 30-year-old science teacher at a prominent private school in Kotri, was called by the headmistress on the last school day before summer break. Her contract was terminated with immediate effect, no exit procedures, no warning signs, no appreciation for service.
At a well-known private school chain in Hyderabad, Ali Ahmed, a 26-year-old math teacher loved his job. He inspired students, met his targets, and never missed a day — yet was packed off without warning. Is this a job loss or institutional betrayal dressed as policy?
After three years of service, Saira Khan, a 35-year-old art teacher from Karachi was fired with a cold notice that said, “no longer required.” A single mother of two, she was left without an income weeks, right before before summer break, with school to pay for two kids.
Every May, silent terminations sweep Pakistan’s private schools, abruptly dismissing young, probationary teachers without explanation or pay. Timed with summer breaks, schools avoid salaries while still charging parents. Beneath polished promotions lies a harsh system that discards educators without due process or dignity.
Terminations are often for vague reasons like restructuring or funding gaps, not performance-based. The emotional and financial impact is severe. With over 64% of Pakistan’s population under 30, mistreatment of young professionals is a national emergency, not just a workforce issue.
The summer break double standard
These stories show a pattern of systemic exploitation, not individual failure. Many private schools overextend during the year but downsize abruptly when costs rise. Junior and probationary staff are the first to go, with schools citing financial constraints while prioritising convenience.
Adding insult to injury, the same schools that terminate their teaching staff in May do not pause in collecting summer fees from parents. They argue that these fees cover infrastructure and maintenance, but the reality is that they continue to earn revenue while cutting costs at human level. Parents continue to pay, while teachers lose income and are left jobless during the most financially vulnerable part of the year. It is a blatant double standard — one that exploits both educators and the families they serve.
The growing frequency of sudden dismissals
Joblessness has long remained a critical issue in Pakistan. But the rising trend of sudden and unexplained job terminations, especially targeting young professionals, is a more recent and sinister development. Startups, once seen as great places for young people to grow and be creative, have now become some of the most unstable places to work. Private schools that overspend during enrollment drives are forced to cut staff suddenly when fees or funding fall short.
The private sector, hiring thousands of young graduates yearly, relies heavily on project-based jobs. When funding ends, teams are abruptly dismissed with no benefits or support. In education, many temporary teachers are fired during summer break under vague excuses. Similarly, gig workers in media and marketing face sudden terminations via brief messages/emails. This is not just poor management — it’s structural cruelty.
Psychological and financial toll
Sudden terminations don’t just cause unemployment — they deeply affect mental health, erode self-confidence, and create a pervasive sense of insecurity. The abrupt loss of a job often triggers intense emotional distress, depression, anxiety, and burnout. The emotional shock is often intensified by shame — the perception that “something must be wrong with me,” signals personal failure. This internalised shame is compounded by societal stigma around unemployment, which discourages open conversations about job loss. Young workers often hesitate to share their situation with family, friends, or peers, fearing judgment or being labelled as incompetent. This silence isolates them further, intensifying feelings of loneliness and helplessness.
Losing a job abruptly also leads to stress-related health issues such as insomnia, headaches, and weakened immunity. The uncertainty adds chronic stress, which can escalate into more severe mental health conditions if left unaddressed.
Stigma and isolation prevent young professionals from seeking support after job loss. Hiding their situation blocks access to opportunities and help, perpetuating self-doubt and missed growth.
For those supporting families, the financial blow exacerbates mental strain. Without institutional safety nets such as severance pay, unemployment benefits, or reskilling programmes, many young workers find themselves trapped in unstable, low-paying jobs.
As a result, many highly educated youth become disillusioned and begin applying abroad not for better salaries, but for basic respect and professional dignity.
Why the youth?
A common perception is that young professionals, those in their early career years, are less essential to operations. Employers often treat them as low-risk hires — inexpensive, easily trained, and even more easily replaced. Many are brought in under the guise of probationary or short-term contracts, which legally enable termination without explanation or severance. In many cases, these contracts are renewed every few months to avoid offering permanent employment benefits.
Fresh grads and early-career employees often lack knowledge of labour laws and rights. Most accept job offers without legal advice or negotiation power. Unilateral termination clauses go unchallenged due to job insecurity. Some schools exploit this desperation by enforcing strict terms disguised as standard policy.
This lack of awareness is matched by a lack of safeguards. Few private schools permit unionisation, leaving teachers without collective bargaining, voice, or recourse. HR often facilitates dismissals without dialogue or documentation, making the process clinical and impersonal to avoid confrontation and accountability. Sometimes, teachers are pressured into signing resignation letters to protect schools from legal claims.
In many private-sector environments, speaking up about contract issues, HR practices, or even workload imbalances is often negatively labelled as “difficult” or a lack of “professional maturity.” This discourages young workers from raising concerns, asking for due process, or pushing back against unfair dismissal. "When someone speaks up for their rights, it can quickly damage their reputation, discouraging others from questioning unfair practices."
Youth are also targeted because of their flexibility. Employers often believe young professionals can adapt, relocate, or reapply elsewhere with minimal amount. This flawed perception contributes to a relaxed attitude toward their job security and overall treatment within the organisation.
Early-career professionals are eager to please, accept unpaid internships, long hours, and unreasonable demands hoping for permanent roles. This eagerness is exploited, not rewarded, and when dismissed, their contributions are ignored.
In essence, youth remain the most vulnerable layer in Pakistan’s professional hierarchy. They are easy to hire, easy to overwork, and easiest to let go — quietly and without consequence.
Legal black holes
Pakistan’s labour laws protecting young workers are outdated, poorly enforced, or often bypassed. The Industrial and Commercial Employment (Standing Orders) Ordinance, 1968, and the Punjab Shops and Establishments Ordinance, 1969, mandate notice and written termination reasons but are rarely enforced, especially in private schools and startups. The Minimum Wages Ordinance, 1961, is frequently violated, particularly in women-dominated sectors like education and domestic work.
Pakistan has yet to ratify key ILO conventions that ensure job security and protect against arbitrary dismissal. Grievance systems are largely non-functional, with labor courts underfunded, overburdened, and out of reach for a 24-year-old who just lost her job and can't afford legal help.
Complicity or crisis management?
While economic instability is a real and pressing issue, many private schools use it as a convenient excuse. Behind the scenes, poor planning, lack of accountability, and systemic disregard for teacher welfare are at play. Terminations are often carried out without notice, frequently on a Friday afternoon — a calculated move to avoid confrontation and buy time before backlash can build. HR departments, operating under vague administrative directives, often provide no explanation, no documentation, and no support for those affected.
Probation periods are routinely extended beyond legal limits. When the academic year ends or summer break approaches, schools quietly let go of senior or mid-level teachers — not for performance issues, but to replace them with younger, cheaper hires. This annual “refresh” keeps payroll low, control high, and organisational funds retained. Even in cases where student enrollment remains stable or increases, some institutions continue to trim experienced staff while onboarding new faces, sometimes even foreign consultants, for image enhancement.
What gets lost in the process is institutional memory — the deep knowledge experienced teachers bring, their relationships with students, and their contributions to school culture. Team morale deteriorates as teachers live in constant fear of being next, unable to commit fully or plan for the long term.
By normalising this churn, schools send a dangerous message that educators are replaceable, not respected professionals. In doing so, they sacrifice long-term excellence for short-term convenience.
The road to accountability
Legal reform is urgent. Employment protection laws must be strengthened and loopholes closed that allow indefinite probation or project-based exploitation. Mandatory notice periods, severance payments, and written justifications for termination must be enforced. Access to labour courts must be simplified, and ombudspersons created in all provinces to handle workplace grievances. Companies should be legally obligated to publish termination statistics and justifications annually. Schools must be required to offer clear, written contracts that define terms of employment, including notice periods and post-summer commitments. Governments must establish mechanisms to ensure compliance and accountability.
Empowering the young workforce
The youth empowerment slogan must become a structural priority, especially in professions like teaching, where young educators are among the most vulnerable. For private school teachers, job security is almost nonexistent. Many are hired without understanding their labour rights, bound by vague contracts that can be terminated without notice. Future educators should graduate not only with lesson plans, but with a clear understanding of employment law, contract negotiation, and grievance procedures.
Equally vital is supporting teacher unions and youth-led educator associations in the private sector. These groups can advocate for fair contracts, transparent hiring, and protection from arbitrary dismissals. Yet, many private institutions discourage or ban unionising altogether.
Mental health, long ignored in the education sector, needs urgent attention. Sudden teacher terminations cause deep emotional trauma, including shame and anxiety. Employers must extend their duty of care beyond contracts. The government should create a centralised helpline for educators, offering counselling and legal support.
These reforms demand a national conversation. The mistreatment of young teachers must enter mainstream discourse. Media, policymakers, education boards, and private school owners must confront — not ignore — these realities. Early-career teachers’ voices should be amplified, not silenced.
A wake-up call
Pakistan prides itself on its youth as drivers of progress and continues to discard them without warning or support. Media, policymakers, educators, and civil society must acknowledge the quiet crisis facing teachers. A truly progressive education system cannot stand on the exploitation of its educators.
As June begins, classrooms may be empty, but the silence carries weight. Behind every desk, there’s a story — not just of students learning, but of teachers struggling to survive. In our race to modernise education, we must ask: what is the cost, and who is paying it?
It is time for a cultural shift — from exploitation to empathy, from opacity to accountability, and from short-termism to long-term commitment. Because when we stand up for our youth, we stand up for Pakistan’s future.
Rabia Khan is a teacher and freelance contributor
All facts and information are the sole responsibility of the writer