‘Private schools will not reopen on Monday’

Classes won’t resume until govt assumes responsibility for security, says APPSF

LAHORE:

All-Pakistan Private Schools Federation announced on Saturday that private schools will not reopen on Monday.

“The decision not to open schools on Monday, February 1, 2016 has been taken due to the Punjab government’s actions,” a press statement issued by the federation stated.



It said that the government had put the onus for security entirely on schools, instead of shouldering the responsibility itself.

“Schools were ordered closed on Monday amid confusion and uncertainty. There was speculation as to whether schools were closed due to harsh weather or whether there was a security threat. The private schools’ heads and owners have since been harassed and intimidated by various government departments and law enforcement agencies. Several individuals from various government departments have been threatening to seal schools and register FIRs against school heads and owners. Their demands vary from case to case and are not based on any consistent written guidelines,” the statement said.

It stated that private schools were in compliance with the written security guidelines issued in December, 2014. “Additional requirements, mostly verbal, are now being imposed in an ad hoc and unlawful manner. As per the Constitution of Pakistan, the security of all citizens is the responsibility of the state. Private schools are responsible only for the provision of education. They cannot be expected to, nor do they have the resources to provide the level of security that is being demanded by the government,” it said.



The statement said that the private schools would not re-open until the government fulfilled its duty and assumed responsibility for the security. The statement said that the decision would be implemented by campuses of the Lahore Grammar School, Beaconhouse Group, City School Network, the LACAS, Salamat School System and Kids Kampus, Learning Alliance and Lahore Preschool, Resource Academia, LGS Landmark Schools, Allied Schools, Smart Schools and The Educators.

Talking to The Express Tribune, DCO Capt (r) Muhammad Usman said that the district government had not launched any crackdown against schools. “We are just trying to implement the standard operating procedures (SOPs) relating to security. Education Minister Rana Mashhood Ahmad is scheduled to hold a meeting with private school owners on Sunday (today),” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 31^st, 2016.