Punjab greenlights outsourcing of 6,460 schools

Teachers' bodies, parents condemn move; warn it will increase out-of-school children

RAWALPINDI:

The Education Department has approved the fourth phase of outsourcing government schools, which will be particularly concerning as it includes 600 high schools for the first time.

A total of 6,460 schools will be outsourced in this phase, including 5,860 primary and middle schools.

The department has also decided to close all schools with enrolment of up to 100 students. It has already completed the outsourcing of 13,600 schools in the first three phases.

The Education Department has decided to continue new admissions in government schools until October 31 and impose a ban on admissions from November 1. Orders have also been issued to all school heads to complete the admission process by October 31.

Teachers' organisations and parents have strongly condemned the outsourcing of government schools and demanded that the decision be withdrawn.

Central President of the Punjab Teachers Union Sufi Ramzan Inqalabi, Secretary of the Education Pensioners Association Shafiq Bhalwalia and former president of the Headmasters Association Dr Sagheer Alam said outsourcing government schools had increased the number of children leaving school.

They warned that if high schools were also outsourced, a large number of girls in rural areas would leave school. They said high schools had extensive building areas and urged the authorities not to destroy these institutions.

Teachers' organisations said they would launch a strong protest against the decision in coordination with non-teaching staff organisations.

They further said that after the outsourcing of government schools, regular teachers would be declared surplus in the second phase. They would be replaced by daily-wage teachers recruited on lump-sum salaries.

Verification of school data

Meanwhile, the Punjab government has approved a census of schools and students across the province and sought complete data from all district education officers.

The Director of Public Instruction (Secondary Education), Punjab, has issued instructions to the chief executive officers of all district education authorities regarding the school and student data census.

The circular strictly directs all schools to complete 100 per cent verification, correction and validation of their data within just 48 hours.

According to the circular, the data will be thoroughly examined under five categories.

The first category covers student data, including enrolment and personal particulars. Following verification, fake or duplicate entries must be removed immediately.

The second category concerns teaching and non-teaching staff, including details of sanctioned posts and vacant positions, which must be accurately recorded.

The third category relates to infrastructure, requiring accurate records of dangerous buildings, classrooms, boundary walls and other facilities.

The fourth category covers academic data, including grades, sections and the distribution of students, with records to be accurately maintained.

The fifth category includes all remaining indicators.

The DPI has warned that all pending verification must be completed within 48 hours and that no negligence will be tolerated.