Punjab Teachers to Stage Massive Protest Against School Privatization

A coalition of teachers’ unions in Punjab, known as the Grand Teachers Alliance, has announced a major protest in response to the government’s plan to privatize public schools.

On September 26, teachers from across Punjab will converge in Lahore to voice their opposition. This will be followed by a province-wide school closure on September 27, with schools in Rawalpindi shutting down starting September 24.

The announcement was made at the Rawalpindi Press Club by key figures including Raja Tahir Mehmood, President of the Grand Teachers Alliance Punjab; Qazi Mohammad Imran, President of the Punjab Teachers Union Rawalpindi district; Akhyan Gul, Grand Teachers Alliance district president; Malik Amjad, President of the Educators Association Punjab; Raja Tariq, President of the Pensioners Welfare Association; and Sardar Qasim.

The alliance has reached a critical juncture in its campaign, expressing strong opposition to the government’s plan to outsource public schools. They argue that this plan would undermine citizens’ constitutional right to free education.

“We reject the Punjab government’s plan to privatize schools,” said Raja Tahir Mehmood, emphasizing the alliance’s stance against the move.

The protesters are demanding that the government retract its privatization plan, fill over 130,000 vacant positions in educational institutions, and initiate a judicial inquiry into the motives behind the outsourcing decision.

The teachers contend that the push for privatization stems from the government’s failure to adequately support educators and provide necessary resources. They also question why there has been no increase in the number of public schools and why teachers are being diverted from their primary duties.

Earlier, the Punjab government announced its intention to privatize an additional 4,453 government schools in the second phase of its privatization plan. This follows the first phase, during which 5,863 schools were handed over to private entities. The overall strategy aims to transfer a total of 13,219 schools to private management, with a third phase scheduled for September, involving the privatization of another 2,903 schools.

The upcoming protest is part of a broader movement, with previous demonstrations held in Murree and further protests planned throughout Punjab until the teachers’ demands are addressed.