Protests Erupt in Punjab, Pakistan Against School Privatisation
In Rawalpindi, Pakistan, teachers from government schools are protesting against the federal government’s decision to privatise these schools. The protests have spread across Punjab province, with students joining in to oppose the move. Lawyers in the region have also shown support for the teachers. Concerns have been raised about employee dismissals and changes in pension rules. Teachers marked October 5 as “Salam Teachers’ Day” and a black day, leading to school lockouts and disruptions in Rawalpindi. Students have voiced their opposition to contractors taking over schools. Bar associations in Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Chakwal, and Sohawa have gone on strike, demanding an end to privatisation. The Punjab government plans to sell 20,000 state schools by March 31, 2025. District Bar leaders Intizar Mehdi Shah and Chaudhary Mohammad Umar Zarif warned that privatisation could harm the education system and increase fees significantly, potentially barring poor children from education. The privatisation process has already affected new admissions, with 70% of schools seeing no new students and an increase in dropouts.
Doubts Revealed
Punjab, Pakistan -: Punjab is a region that is divided between two countries, India and Pakistan. In this context, it refers to the part of Punjab that is in Pakistan.
Privatisation -: Privatisation means transferring the ownership of something from the government to private individuals or companies. In this case, it means the government wants private companies to run the schools instead of the government.
State schools -: State schools are schools that are run and funded by the government. They are usually free or have very low fees so that all children can attend.
Job security -: Job security means having a stable job that is not likely to be lost. Teachers are worried that if schools are privatised, they might lose their jobs or their jobs might become less stable.
Pension changes -: Pensions are money that people receive after they retire from work. Teachers are concerned that privatisation might change or reduce their pensions, affecting their income after retirement.
Bar associations -: Bar associations are groups of lawyers who work together to support each other and the legal profession. They are joining the protests because they believe privatisation might make education more expensive and less accessible.
New admissions -: New admissions refer to new students joining the school. A decline in new admissions means fewer students are enrolling in the schools.
Dropouts -: Dropouts are students who leave school before completing their education. An increase in dropouts means more students are leaving school without finishing their studies.
