Ban on Co Education: Punjab Government Issues Clarification Regarding Co-Education Ban in Private Colleges

Ban on Co Education: The Punjab government has not prohibited co-education in BS (Hons) degree programmes in private colleges in the province, according to Azhar Mashwani, the Focal Person to the Chief Minister (CM) Punjab on Digital Media.

Mashwani took to Twitter to dispute stories claiming that the Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC) has declared a ban on co-education and published screenshots of them.

Furthermore, Raja Yasir Humayun Sarfaraz, Punjab Minister for Higher Education and Information Technology, has highlighted that PHEC has not issued any notification regarding co-education in private colleges in the province.

Higher Education Department hasn't issued any notification about Co-Education in Colleges. Plz stop spreading fake news on Media.

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— Raja Yassir Humayun Sarfraz (@RajaYassirPTI) February 2, 2022

How it Started?

It all started yesterday when Private News Channel broke the news that PHEC has moved to ban co-education in BS (Hons) degree programs in private colleges all over the province.

The story was picked by media outlets and was widely reported, bringing severe criticism to the provincial government from progressive elements.

As a result, CM Punjab’s Focal Person on Digital Media and Punjab Minister for Higher Education and Information Technology were forced to come forward and clarify the official stance of the provincial government on the matter.

The Reality

While the Punjab administration has dismissed the development as a hoax, the journalist who first brought it to light stands by his assertion, causing much confusion.

Because the screenshot supplied by the journalist looks to be genuine, it is possible that the ban on co-education was in the works.

However, knowledge spread before any official announcement, forcing the provincial authorities to hustle and save face by declaring the development to be fake news.

Official Statement

Azhar Mashwani, while speaking to media, confirmed that the checklist supplied by the journalist has been in existence since 2008, and that the provincial government will issue a thorough clarification in this regard shortly.

He stated that the current Punjab government has not issued any fresh notification about co-education in private colleges, and that a journalist recently obtained it and fabricated a narrative out of it in order to cause confusion.

If that is the true, it begs the question of how private colleges in the province are permitted to exist while violating the PHEC’s checklist.