The Punjab government has decided to extend the laptop distribution scheme to students enrolled in private educational institutions across the province.
Provincial Minister for Education Rana Sikandar Hayat, while outlining the department’s performance for 2025, stated that—like the previous year—2025 remained a year of major initiatives aimed at improving the education sector.
He said that during the year, two million cases of ghost enrolment were eliminated, while the rationalisation of 26,000 teachers helped address the issue of staff shortages.
He further noted that out of 850 colleges in the province, 550 were operating without permanent principals. During the year, merit-based appointments were completed in 450 colleges, while the process of appointing permanent vice chancellors in 29 universities was also finalised.
Highlighting the promotion of technology in schools, the minister said that STEM clubs have now been established in all high and higher secondary schools, while the construction of STEM laboratories has begun in 50 per cent of such institutions. Under the “Matric in Technology” initiative, 51,000 students in Grade 9 alone are currently studying technology-related subjects.
Rana Sikandar Hayat added that following the outsourcing of schools, enrolment has increased by 250 per cent.
To rebuild public trust in government schools, he set a personal example by enrolling his own son in a public-sector school.
He concluded by saying that the government’s performance speaks for itself, emphasising that it delivers results rather than making claims, and assured that record-level work would continue in the education sector in the coming year as well.
