LAHORE: Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat has announced that government colleges with low student enrolment across the province will be outsourced.
In a video message shared on social media, the minister said a new rationalisation policy—similar to the one introduced for public schools—is being implemented in government colleges. Under this policy, teachers from under-enrolled institutions will be transferred to colleges where additional staff is needed.
According to the minister, more than 750 government colleges in Punjab will be reviewed under the new rationalisation plan, based on the student-teacher ratio. He added that commerce colleges will be transformed into e-commerce colleges to meet market needs and digital trends.
ALSO READ
Amin Khan Lodhi takes over as deputy governor of State Bank
However, the decision has drawn criticism from education circles, who say it will promote expensive private sector models and weaken the accessibility of public education.
Critics argue that instead of outsourcing, the government should improve internal management, strengthen oversight, and address inefficiencies within the Higher Education Department (HED).
Faculty members have been given three months to improve enrolment, while the minister warned that strict action would be taken against colleges found inflating figures or submitting fake data.
A similar move in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa earlier this month faced strong resistance. The KP cabinet had approved outsourcing schools and colleges with low enrolment, but the Peshawar High Court suspended the plan on October 9 after widespread protests from students and teachers. The court has yet to issue a new ruling after the October 29 hearing.
Speaking to The News, Punjab Professors and Lecturers Association (PPLA) President Faiza Raana condemned the Punjab government’s plan, calling it a “one-sided decision” made without consultation. She warned that teachers would oppose the move through protests if necessary.
ALSO READ
Punjab Excise plans new number plates for SUVs to boost visibility
Faiza said that only 18,000 out of 23,000 sanctioned teaching posts in government colleges are filled, and many of the current staff are nearing retirement. She urged the government to prioritise permanent recruitment instead of depending on temporary College Teaching Interns (CTIs).
“Stopgap measures like CTIs cannot solve the crisis,” she said. “We need qualified, full-time educators and long-term planning to strengthen public colleges.”
The PPLA president also highlighted that public colleges have larger campuses and more qualified faculty compared to many private institutions operating from rented buildings.
“The government should invest in strengthening public colleges instead of abandoning them,” she added. “Modern subjects like artificial intelligence and skill-based courses should be introduced in public institutions, not handed over to private operators.”
