Punjab Government Issues Immediate Registration Notices to 744 Unregistered Educational Institutions]
LAHORE: The Punjab government issued registration notices to 744 private educational institutions on Saturday, giving them a three-day deadline to comply or face legal consequences, including fines of up to Rs4 million. This crackdown follows the fatal collapse of two tuition centers in Lahore that killed 15 students and injured others.
Punjab Minister for School and Higher Education Rana Sikandar Hayat announced the operation, emphasizing that no educational institution will be permitted to function without proper registration while prioritizing student safety above all else.
District Education Authorities (DEAs) across Punjab have begun serving final notices to unregistered schools and academies operating under the Punjab Private Educational Institutions (Promotion and Regulation) Ordinance, 1984. The CEO of Lahore’s DEA issued directives stating that all privately-managed educational institutions must obtain registration with the district authority before commencing operations.
Institutions found operating without valid registration face legal action under Section 11 of the ordinance, with penalties ranging from Rs300,000 to Rs4 million. Notices, based on records from the Punjab Education Private Registration Information System (PEPRIS), inform affected institutions that they are operating without proper registration and must submit applications within three days.
Minister Hayat stated the government will not allow educational institutions to function outside regulatory frameworks. “Student safety is our top priority. Protecting lives comes first, and only then will we grant permission for education,” he said, emphasizing a “zero tolerance” policy for violations.
Registration is mandatory for all private educational institutions under the 1984 ordinance, making unauthorized operation a punishable offense. Official records indicate hundreds of unregistered private schools across Punjab continue operating despite this legal requirement.
The minister directed all unregistered institutions to immediately apply for registration, warning that DEAs will enforce strict legal action against those failing to comply. He also made building fitness certificates mandatory for all schools, prohibiting operations without them and instructing education authorities to ensure compliance before allowing continued operations.
Minister Hayat ordered DEAs to enforce these directives strictly and requested relevant officers submit implementation reports.
