Islamabad, Sep 24: The recent admission drive for government schools, from Class I to Class IX, has seen disappointing results, with only one new student enrolling in Rawalpindi during the first three days of the campaign, which started on August 15. This highlights a growing crisis in public education across Punjab.
In response to concerns over the declining enrollment numbers, 17 headmasters and headmistresses from divisions such as Rawalpindi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, and Bahawal have been suspended for allegedly falsifying admission records.
Legal action is being pursued under the Punjab Employees Efficiency, Discipline, and Accountability (PEEDA) Act, and these officials are required to report to the Chief Executive Officers of their respective District Education Authorities for further investigation.
The education department had already recorded alarmingly low admissions in the first phase of the drive, which ran from February to May 31, and the current phase has not shown any improvement. Many parents are opting to enroll their children in private schools instead of public ones.
Concerns Raised by Stakeholders
- Private School Preference: Abrar Ahmed Khan, Divisional President of the All Pakistan Private Schools Management Association, warned that the number of out-of-school children in Punjab, currently at 28 million, could rise to 30 million by December 2025 if no immediate measures are taken to address this issue.
- Criticism of Privatization: Muhammad Shafiq Bhalwalia, Central Secretary General of the Punjab SES Teachers Association, criticized the government’s privatization policies, suggesting that these strategies have contributed to the deterioration of public education. He cautioned that further declines in enrollment and the overall performance of government schools are likely unless significant changes are implemented.
This situation points to the urgent need for reforms in the public education system to attract more students and improve the quality of education offered in government schools.
