The Punjab government is reportedly considering the closure of more than 5,000 afternoon schools across the province following alarming reports of fake student enrollments and bogus teacher appointments.
According to official sources, funding for the afternoon school program has already been reduced for the current fiscal year. Of the approximately 7,500 afternoon schools operating in Punjab, only around 1,500 are expected to remain functional.
These remaining schools will be retained in just 14 districts, with Lahore maintaining only 60 double-shift schools.
Launched in 2020 during the tenure of former Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, the program aimed to bridge educational gaps in under-served and remote rural areas. Initially, around 2,000 operational afternoon schools were introduced as part of the initiative.
To ensure transparency and quality, the Punjab Education Ministry had established monitoring committees in 43 districts. However, the oversight reports highlighted unhealthy educational trends, largely driven by inflated enrollments and fraudulent staffing practices, prompting the current review.