Over 200 private schools face sealing

Unregistered institutions identified across metropolis

LAHORE:

The Lahore District Education Authority has recommended the sealing of 213 private schools operating without registration.

The move comes as part of a drive to ensure compliance with education laws, improve student safety and regulate the rapidly expanding private education sector across the provincial capital.

According to sources, the authority has forwarded a summary to the district administration, requesting action against the identified schools. Once approved, the district administration will initiate the sealing process in accordance with the relevant legal provisions.

The development follows an earlier phase of the crackdown, during which 30 unregistered schools were sealed for operating in violation of regulatory requirements.

Education officials say the campaign will continue and any institution failing to comply with registration rules will face similar action.

Lahore Education Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tariq Mahmood said the authority was implementing the government's directives without discrimination. He emphasised that the objective was to ensure that every private school functioned within the legal framework established by the government.

An official at Punjab School Education Department disclosed that 744 private schools had been issued final warning notices, directing them to complete the registration within the prescribed time. Schools that continue operating without registration would face strict legal action, including sealing of their premises.

The officials said registration was a legal requirement for all private educational institutions operating in the province.

The process enables authorities to verify that the schools meet prescribed standards relating to infrastructure, classroom facilities, sanitation, fire safety, qualified teaching staff, management practices, and student welfare.

It also allows regulators to maintain updated record of educational institutions and monitor compliance with government policies.

Education authorities believe that many unregistered schools operate without proper oversight, making it difficult to ensure that students receive education in a safe and regulated environment.

In some cases, schools function in unsuitable or unsafe buildings without fulfilling minimum operational standards required under provincial regulations.

The latest enforcement campaign has been launched in the wake of some recent incidents involving unsafe educational facilities.

Authorities have stressed that preventing educational institutions from operating in structurally weak or unauthorised buildings has become a major goal.

Officials say strict enforcement of registration requirements will help identify schools operating in hazardous conditions and reduce risks to the students and staff.

The education authority maintains that the registration process is not merely an administrative formality but an essential mechanism for safeguarding children, ensuring quality education and enforcing accountability.

Registered schools are subject to periodic inspections, while unregistered institutions remain outside the regular monitoring system.