To go or not to go: Students turned back as confusion reigns supreme

Late govt announcement meant people confused over holiday for schools

PESHAWAR:

Students en route to school with rehearsed plays and practiced tableaus were sent back in dampened spirits as there was massive confusion on whether the institutes were open or not on Wednesday.

The main catalyst for this muddle across the province was the government’s late or rather confusing announcements. Not until midnight on Tuesday was it officially announced the province would mark the first anniversary of the Army Public School attack by closing all educational institutes.

When the clock struck 12

Earlier while addressing a press conference, K-P government spokesperson Mushtaq Ghani said, “Educational institutions and government offices in Peshawar district will remain closed on Wednesday to mark the first anniversary of the brutal attack on the Army Public School.”

However, it wasn’t until midnight that the provincial government sent out a text message to the media announcing educational institutions, both government and private, would be closed across K-P on Wednesday. In majority of the districts across the province, including DI Khan, Karak, Kohat, Nowshera, Mardan and Swabi, students went to schools, colleges and universities only to find them closed.

All Primary School Teachers’ Association President Malik Khalid Khan said schools opened initially in many areas, but later closed as the announcement about the official holiday spread. “We got informed about the notification of educational institutions being closed in Peshawar, but nothing about the whole province,” Malik Khalid said. He added the administrations were informed late at night and it was difficult to convince people there was an actual holiday amid the confusion.

“December 16th should have been announced as a holiday the moment it was initially decided. The rest of the provinces had announced it well in time,” said Malik Khalid. “The government should make decisions in advance and declare them in the media to avoid all confusion.

A DI Khan district administration official said universities were closed, but exams were still conducted. Students made their way to Gomal University where papers were being held in some departments. Attendance on December 15 was also low due to the misinformation regarding a provincial holiday.

The confusion started Monday when the chief minister announced a two-day holiday for students of Islamia College University Peshawar. However, many believed the announcement stood for the whole province. Some news outlets reported that institutes across K-P were given the day off.



However, at the press conference, Ghani categorically rejected reports of the two-day holiday for the whole province. He made it abundantly clear only ICU had the day off.

“The students [of ICU] were busy through the week in preparation for their institute’s centenary celebration and the CM announced holidays only for them,” said Ghani.

A government official, requesting anonymity, said the administration was weak when it came to taking decisions “It was a blunder on the part of the government,” he said. Mushtaq Ghani could not be reached for a comment despite several attempts.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 17^th,  2015.