Private educational institutions seek to reopen from Aug 15

Representatives say time coincides with annual schedule for end of summer vacations

RAWALPINDI:

Mid-August is the best time to reopen the educational institutions in the country and resume the academic activities after the prolonged closure imposed by the government to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

This was stated by representatives of private educational institutions on Friday.

Expressing their views in the Express Forum, All Pakistan Private Schools Colleges Association (APPSCA) Punjab President Raja Muhammad Ilyas, Rawalpindi Divisional President Irfan Muzaffar Kayani, and prominent leaders including Malik Hafeezur Rehman, Muhammad Ibrahim, Iftikhar Mahmood Chaudhry, Munawar Naqvi, Abdul Qaddos, Musarrat Kamran and Sheikh Umar said that the continuous closure of schools for the past four-and-a-half month has led to an increase in child labour across the country, while the number of out-of-school students has also increased.

The pandemic is apparently under control, while the extremely hot spell of weather has also passed, they said, adding that the annual reopening of schools after the summer vacation in August is also approaching.

The government should announce the commencement of educational activities from August, the APPSCA representatives said.

They appreciated the Punjab government’s decision to impose lockdown ahead of Eid, hoping the move will help control the epidemic.

However, they asserted that resumption of academic activities was critical to keep teachers employed and educational institutions from closing down due to the financial crisis. Millions of children have dropped out of schools due to the closure of private educational institutions.

The government should announce a financial package to bail out private educational institutions and save the education sector from collapse.

The leaders said that the Punjab government has launched an online system for registration of private schools which is welcoming. The credit for e-registration goes to Rawalpindi district across Punjab.

Kayani said that the proposal of DRAE registration was put before the former District Registration Authority chairman Saifullah Dogar, which was immediately approved and issued e-registration in Rawalpindi. The system was given as a gift by the APPSCA to the government of Punjab and there was no personal expenditure of the district administration or the education department on it.

The credit to establish a separate branch for the registration of private schools also goes to the former deputy commissioner and former District Education Authority CEO Azam Kashif. Meanwhile, registration of private schools and other issues are being resolved efficiently under the leadership of Mushtaq Ahmed Sial, DEO Elementary Focal Person Private Schools Branch.

Heads of private educational institutions are satisfied with his performance. Moreover, they said that Deputy Commissioner Anwarul Haq is promoting the cause of education and is committed to solving all the problems of private educational institutions. They added that District Education Authority CEO Iftikhar Hassan Butt was always available to help resolve the problems of private educational institutions in a better way.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 1^st, 2020.