Promises, gaps and uneven reforms

Absence of govt education expansion marks outgoing year

LAHORE:

Punjab's education sector is set to conclude 2025 as a year marked by ambitious claims, notable gaps and unresolved challenges.

While the provincial government repeatedly highlighted reforms, digital initiatives and infrastructure plans, teachers, education experts and parents continued to question the impact on ground and sustainability of the measures.

One of the most striking realities of 2025 was the absence of expansion of public school infrastructure, particularly in Lahore, the largest city.

Despite rapid population growth and increasing enrollment pressure, not a single new government school was constructed in the provincial capital during the year.

Across Punjab, the situation remained largely unchanged, raising concerns about overcrowded classrooms and unequal access to education in urban and peri-urban areas.

Equally critical was the issue of human resources. Throughout 2025, the school education department did not carry out recruitment of permanent teaching staff.

The department's record and teachers' unions confirmed that no regular teachers were hired, even as thousands of sanctioned posts remained vacant.

At the same time, nearly 14,000 teachers across the province continued to work without a permanent status, creating uncertainty about job security. Instead of regular recruitment, the government expanded its policy of outsourcing public sector schools.

More than 10,000 government schools were handed over to private entities during the year, a move the authorities described as an effort to improve efficiency and learning outcomes.