The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has stopped the privatization of 28 government primary schools in Buner district and directed all parties to submit detailed replies within 14 days.
According to the court’s short written order issued after the previous hearing, the bench restrained the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government from proceeding with the privatization process until further notice.
The petition stated that the provincial government was in the process of outsourcing 28 primary schools — including 10 for boys and 18 for girls — located in Tehsil Mandanr and Tehsil Khudukhel of Buner district.
The petitioner’s counsel informed the court that a provincial government notification issued on August 11 initiated the outsourcing process. He argued that the move was unconstitutional and violated fundamental rights, as it aimed to hand over public institutions to private entities instead of improving their performance.
The petition further claimed that the privatization of these schools would deprive thousands of children in the area of their right to free education, which is guaranteed under the Constitution.
The petitioner requested the court to intervene and suspend the privatization plan, urging the provincial government to focus on improving educational standards rather than transferring management to private hands.
The court adjourned the case after ordering the respondents to submit detailed written replies within two weeks.
