The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly witnessed a heated debate over the KP Government School Outsourcing initiative during its Tuesday session.
Opposition and treasury benches traded arguments as lawmakers questioned the legal status of the move. While the opposition expressed fears of full-scale privatization, the government defended the policy as a necessary reform to save failing institutions.
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Opposition Questions Legal Basis
During the question hour, JUI-F lawmaker Rehana Ismail challenged the provincial government’s direction. Specifically, she asked whether the administration planned to privatize public schools under the guise of reform. She also demanded to know the specific law that allows the government to hand over state-owned assets to private entities.
Furthermore, Arbab Usman of the Awami National Party (ANP) joined the discussion. He argued that the government must retain control over policy and management. According to him, the private sector should only handle day-to-day administrative tasks to ensure the public interest remains protected.
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Government Clarifies Policy vs. Privatization
In response, Provincial Law Minister Aftab Alam clarified that the government is not privatizing the education sector. Instead, the KP Government School Outsourcing plan targets only low-performing schools and those with very low student enrollment. He explained that the provincial cabinet formally approved this decision to improve academic results in struggling areas.
The Panel of Chairmen also supported this stance. They informed the house that a clear legal distinction exists between outsourcing and privatization. Consequently, the government maintains that this step does not fall under the category of selling state assets.
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Modernizing the Education System
Beyond the outsourcing debate, Minister Aftab Alam discussed broader reforms within the education department. He stated that the government is introducing modern subjects to prepare students for the future. For instance, the department recently integrated Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics into the curriculum.
Under the supervision of the Education Minister, these reforms aim to shift the focus from traditional learning to technology-driven education. The Law Minister emphasized that these updates will equip students with globally competitive skills, regardless of the management model of their schools.
