Khairuddin Shadani | ChitralToday
CHITRAL, Aug 24, 2025 – Parents, teachers, and civil society groups in Chitral have strongly opposed the provincial government’s decision to hand dozens of local schools to private operators under its new education policy.
Official records available with ChitralToday show that a large number of institutions are being outsourced to the private operators.
These include Government Primary School Lasht Denin, Government Primary School Kuju, Government Primary School Brum (Bumburet), Government Primary School Siwahat, Government Primary School Kalashpey, Government Primary School Kiar, Government Primary School Darunel, Government Primary School Khotang, Government Primary School Kaloom, Government Primary School Achugol, Government Primary School Karanj, Government Primary School Darupish, Government Primary School Sonach, Government Primary School Balach, Government Primary School Madashil, Government Primary School Oweer (Arkari), Government Primary School Gram, Government Primary School Seen Lasht, Government Primary School Rooji, Government Primary School Pech Uch, Government Primary School Shoghor, Government Primary School Hanjel, Government Primary School Nar Kurat, Government Primary School Momi, Government Primary School Shah Karimabad, Government Primary School Mogh, Government Primary School Sheershal, Government Primary School Garam Chashma, Government Primary School Brishgram, Government Primary School Susoom, Government Primary School Roi, Government Primary School Wahat, Government Primary School Safed Arkari, Government Primary School Beesti Arkari, along with several others in lower and upper Chitral.
For thousands of families in these remote valleys, government schools were the only accessible option for free education. Parents now fear that school fees will exclude poor children from classrooms.
“This is not reform, it is exclusion,” said a resident of Chitral. “We cannot afford private fees. Our children will lose their only chance at education.”
Local elders accused the government of breaking its earlier pledge of “education before roads.” They noted that while infrastructure projects continue, free schooling is being pushed aside.
Education activists argue that the government should instead address teacher shortages, provide missing facilities, and upgrade existing schools. Outsourcing education, they warn, will only widen inequality and deprive future generations of opportunities.
Community leaders across Chitral have called on the provincial government to reverse the decision and to invest in strengthening public schools so that children in far-flung villages can continue to study free of cost.