It is decided by Punjab government to run school under public private partnership and education department started to privatise government schools.
The privatization process would take place in three phases. First phase is just announced the list of 25 government schools over the province of which 11 schools are from Rawalpindi division. All schools are girls primary school in first phase of privatization.
Punjab Education Initiative Management Authority (PEIMA) is joining hand with government to take hold over schools for the public and private partnership. Application from parties interested to purchase the schools would be collected till 24th of April. Teacher unions and Punjab employees Association is not agree with this step of Punjab government. First phase included six schools from district Rawalpindi, four schools from district chakwal, one from Attock district, three from Bhawalpur ,three from Rahim Yar Khan district and one from each district of Bhawalnagar, Gujrat, Dera Ghazi Khan , Lodhran ,Rajanpur and Sargodha.
It was decided that after completing the first phase of privatization another list of almost 100 more schools will announce in May. In 3rd phase almost 5000 schools would be handed over to private sector in Summer Vacations.
Secretary general of Punjab SES teachers Association Muhammad Shafique Bhalwalia said that if government continued to privatise schools to foundations like PEIMA, PEEF and other NGOs in steps it would be difficult for public to get the facility of education because the private education is not affordable for each and every common person. According to Constitution the state is bounded to provide education equally to every person from grade one to 10th without any fee.
The President of Educators Association Basharat Iqbal RJa said that if the government start to privatise the schools it would be difficult for common person to get free education. As a result the average and low class public could not get the basic education which is his right and should be provided freely because people are already suffering fron unemployment and inflation.
