Punjab Education Minister Announces Laptop Scheme for Students of Private Institutes

Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat has announced a major expansion of the government’s laptop scheme, confirming that students of private educational institutions will also benefit from the initiative. Declaring 2025 as a year of significant education reforms, the minister stated that the Punjab government will distribute 10,000 laptops to deserving students enrolled in private institutes. This step aims to promote digital learning and ensure equal opportunities for students across both public and private sectors.

While reviewing the performance of the Education Department, Rana Sikandar Hayat said that the government has continued its reform-driven approach, similar to previous efforts, with a strong focus on strengthening the education system. He highlighted that one of the major achievements was the elimination of nearly 2 million ghost enrollments, which helped improve transparency and ensure that resources reach genuine students.

Addressing the long-standing issue of teacher shortages, the education minister revealed that the department successfully rationalized 26,000 teachers across Punjab. This move helped balance staff distribution, ensuring that schools with shortages received teachers while reducing overstaffing in other institutions. According to the minister, this rationalization has improved teaching standards and classroom management in many areas.

Rana Sikandar Hayat also spoke about historic syllabus reforms introduced by the government. He said the curriculum was updated to align with modern educational needs, while examination reforms were implemented to make assessment systems more transparent and fair. One of the most significant changes was the shift of examination boards toward e-marking systems, reducing human error and improving efficiency.

Early Childhood Education remained a top priority for the Punjab government. The minister shared that ECE rooms were established in 10,000 schools across the province to create a child-friendly learning environment. In addition, daily nutrition was provided to 1.1 million students under the school nutrition program, aiming to improve attendance, health, and learning outcomes among young children.

Highlighting further improvements, the education minister said that 268 schools were upgraded with better facilities and infrastructure. He also confirmed that 37 harassment cases involving teachers were resolved, reflecting the government’s commitment to creating a safe and respectful educational environment for both staff and students.

In the higher education sector, Rana Sikandar Hayat stated that principals were appointed on merit in 450 colleges, strengthening institutional leadership. Moreover, the process of appointing vice chancellors in 29 universities has been completed, which is expected to enhance governance and academic quality at the university level.

The expansion of the laptop scheme to include private-sector students has been widely welcomed by education stakeholders. Many believe this decision will help bridge the digital divide and encourage research, innovation, and skill development among students. Overall, the Punjab government’s education reforms for 2025 signal a strong commitment to improving access, quality, and transparency across the entire education system.