The Punjab Education Department's ongoing enrollment campaign in government schools has seen a lackluster response and has made little headway toward reaching its goal.

The first part of the campaign is expected to end by May 31. It formally started on March 1 in government schools throughout Punjab, including the Rawalpindi area. Each class has to enroll 20 pupils during this phase. But the campaign hasn't made much progress in achieving its objectives yet.

Due to the enrollment process's later start time than expected, many parents had already enrolled their kids in nearby schools by the beginning of February.

Additionally, attempts to draw in new students have been impeded by the privatization of 500 government schools in Punjab, including those in Rawalpindi.

The current state of the nation has made many parents reluctant to send their kids to government or larger private institutions. As a result, enrollment in nearby community schools has increased.

These neighborhood schools are more affordable for families because their monthly fees range from Rs500 to Rs1,000.

Due to parents' growing reluctance to send their kids to schools further away, particularly for those in grade 4, mothers frequently drop off and pick up their kids from these schools in person.

Dropout rates from public institutions have also increased as a result of the privatization of government schools. According to Irfan Muzaffar Kiyani, president of the All Pakistan Private Schools and Colleges Association (APPSCA), there are currently 290,000 out-of-school children in Punjab, and by the end of the year, this number is predicted to rise to almost three million.

He says that 22.5 million pupils already attend private schools, compared to 11.9 million children who are enrolled in government schools. With enrollment in private schools beginning on February 1, a considerable number of pupils have been drawn to these institutions by their lower tuition costs.

At the official start of the enrollment campaign, Amanullah Cheema, the Chief Executive of the District Education Authority (DHA) Rawalpindi, emphasized that the government provides free textbooks, a conducive learning environment, and high-quality education. He conveyed his assurance that the campaign would be executed with complete commitment and that the enrollment goals would be reached.

Government school teachers are highly qualified, holding master's, Ph.D., and MPhil degrees, according to leaders of teachers' organizations including Shahid Mubarak, Basharat Iqbal Raja, and Shafique Bhalwalia. They encouraged parents to think about sending their kids to government schools.