The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa education department outsourced 500 low-performing government primary schools, with 273 already transferred to private partners operating within the winter zone.
The remaining 227 schools will be handed over in September, covering the summer zone, completing the first phase of outsourcing to private operators across provincial districts.
Prominent private partners include Beaconhouse School System, Sarhad Rural Support Programme, Dopasi Foundation, Hands Foundation, alongside several others selected to manage operations and deliver primary education services.
Official data confirms outsourced schools include 46 in Mansehra, 45 each in Abbottabad and Haripur, 30 in Bajaur, and 28 in Bannu districts.
Further allocations include 25 in Kohat, 22 in Swat, 21 in Karak, 19 in Mardan, 18 in Nowshera, and 16 in Buner districts.
Additional schools include 13 in Tank, 12 each in Shangla and Lower Kohistan, 11 in Lakki Marwat, and 10 each in Lower Chitral, Kurram, Dera Ismail Khan.
| District | Number of Schools |
|---|---|
| Mansehra | 46 |
| Abbottabad | 45 |
| Haripur | 45 |
| Bajaur | 30 |
| Bannu | 28 |
| Kohat | 25 |
| Swat | 22 |
| Karak | 21 |
| Mardan | 19 |
| Nowshera | 18 |
| Buner | 16 |
| Tank | 13 |
| Shangla | 12 |
| Lower Kohistan | 12 |
| Lakki Marwat | 11 |
| Lower Chitral | 10 |
| Kurram | 10 |
| Dera Ismail Khan | 10 |
Officials confirmed another 1,500 low-performing schools will be outsourced in the second phase, with paperwork already initiated to expand the programme across the province.
Government records identify 4,147 primary schools with fewer than 40 enrolled students, declared low-performing, and targeted for outsourcing under agreements with selected private partners.
Private partners must raise enrolment to 180 students per school, implement government curriculum, and ensure effective management of teaching, staffing, and operational expenditures.
The education department will provide school buildings, watchmen, textbooks, furniture, fixtures, and Rs1,500 per enrolled student, while partners handle teaching services, repairs, and maintenance responsibilities.
