The Punjab government issued notices to 744 unregistered educational institutions within a single day, a move widely seen as a knee-jerk reaction to the recent tragic roof collapse in Lahore. While the tragedy demands action, conflating administrative registration with physical safety is a fundamentally flawed strategy.
Registration vs. Structural Safety
Registration is a logical requirement for formal institutions, but applying it as a blanket solution to a construction disaster misses the mark. Structural integrity, not paperwork, prevents roof collapses. The focus should be on enforcing building codes and conducting structural audits, not merely registering occupants.
For many lower-middle and middle-class families, home tuitions are a vital source of income, especially for women who rely on these informal settings as their only viable employment. Forcing every small-scale home tutor into a formal registration process puts undue pressure on a segment already struggling to make ends meet.
Socio-Economic Impact on Home Tutors
Treating a living-room classroom with the same regulatory rigor as a commercial school ignores the socio-economic reality of urban households. Home tuitions provide flexible, accessible education and income; over-regulation could push these informal educators out of work or underground.
The government must address the root cause: poor construction and disregard for building codes. An investigation should target engineers and contractors who approve substandard buildings, not the educators who occupy them. Tightening building laws and enforcing structural audits is a sustainable approach to safety.
Performative Governance
If the government uses registration as a proxy for safety, it shifts the burden of failure onto citizens. The goal must be safe buildings, not simply registered occupants. Without this distinction, the current crackdown is a performative exercise in governance, as noted by critics who call for a focus on actual enforcement.
Punjab also issued an advisory to protect crops during monsoon rains, but the educational crackdown remains controversial. A balanced approach would separate safety enforcement from administrative registration, ensuring that both formal schools and home tuitions can operate safely without undue burden.
