School outsourcing enters fourth phase

The School Education Department has approved the fourth phase of outsourcing government schools on the special directives of the Punjab government, with both boys' and girls' high schools included in the latest phase. Sources told The Express Tribune that the provincial government is expected to invite applications from interested parties in October, while it is in the process of finalising the list of schools to be outsourced under Phase 4. According to sources, 600 high schools will be included in the outsourcing process, in addition to 5,860 primary and middle schools. Interestingly, senior teachers' union leaders have been taken on board regarding the outsourcing plan. Under the arrangement, these senior union leaders will not be declared surplus and will retire upon completing their service with full pensions and other dues. In return, they are not expected to offer strong resistance to the outsourcing process. However, several senior teachers' leaders, including Muhammad Shafiq Bhulawalia, Sufi Ramzan Inqalabi, Bashir Warraich, Nawaz Gondal, Chaudhry Zafran Barkat and Raja Amjad Mahmood, have strongly criticised what they described as a soft approach by some teachers' organisations towards outsourcing and the "sale" of government schools. They said outsourcing high schools would deprive children from low-income families and those of lower-grade government employees of access to secondary education up to matriculation. The teachers' leaders called for regular recruitment against vacant teaching posts instead of outsourcing schools. They said the recruitment of daily-wage school interns and teachers at Rs40,000 to Rs50,000 a month had pushed the public education system towards collapse. They claimed that the government planned to outsource or "sell" 50% of government schools by December 31, 2027, and that no teachers would be recruited on a regular basis in future. Instead, teachers would reportedly be hired on daily wages of around Rs50,000 for individual academic sessions. Private schools to hike fees Meanwhile, a decision has been taken to increase the registration period and fees for private schools, with directions issued to initiate the formal legal process. Under the proposed decision, all private schools will be registered for four years and the registration fee will be determined according to the school's monthly fee. Under the proposed new rules and regulations, a school charging a monthly fee of Rs1,500 has been proposed to pay a registration fee of Rs10,000, while schools charging up to Rs2,500 per month will pay Rs20,000 as registration fee. Similarly, a registration fee of Rs50,000 has been proposed for schools charging up to Rs5,000 per month, while schools charging a monthly fee of Rs10,000 will pay a registration fee of Rs100,000. Under the proposed rules, schools charging Rs20,000 per month will pay a registration fee of Rs200,000, while a registration fee of Rs1 million has been proposed for schools charging more than Rs20,000 per month. Upon payment of the said fee, schools will be granted registration for four years. At the time of renewal after the new licence, schools will have to pay 50 per cent of the prescribed registration fee.