APPSCA criticises school closure

Hundreds of private schools have shut down due to the four-month-long lockdown

RAWALPINDI:

Members of the All Pakistan Private Schools and Colleges Association (APPSCA) have criticised the government for neglecting private educational institutions and their prolonged closure. APPSCA Punjab President Raja Ilyas in a statement recently said that due to the apathy of the government, thousands of teachers have been forced to starve or face other financial crisis. Hundreds of private schools, he claimed, have shut down due to the four-month-long lockdown, imposed by the government to keep the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic from spreading. Ilyas warned that if schools remain closed, the number of out-of-school children in the country may surpass the 50 million mark. Hence, the APPSCA President demanded that Prime Minister Imran Khan, Chief of Army Staff (COAS), and Chief Justice of Pakistan take notice of the situation. He further called on the government to announce a special financial package for private educational institutions to keep them afloat in this difficult situation along with a waiver on utility bills and building rental.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 7^th, 2020.