School owners oppose winter break

Say first lockdown had bankrupted them

ISLAMABAD:

Representatives of the owners of private schools have opposed extended winter vacations under consideration of the government to control the second wave of the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

National Association of Private Schools Pakistan (NAPSP) Joint Chairman Malik Mohammad Imran demanded the government to refrain from shutting educational institutions again after a prolonged lockdown.

He said that educational institutions were already destroyed while adding that the private institutions were the only place where precautionary guidelines were being fully implemented.

Imran said that the closure of educational institutions strictly adhering to the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) devised by the government to prevent novel coronavirus spread would not help in controlling the virus.

He said that the pandemic situation could deteriorate as the people were going out for tourism and other social activities and not implementing SOPs.

The official said the lengthened closure of educational institutions had already caused irreparable damage to them.

Private educational institutions are fully complying with the SOPs devised by the government, he reiterated.

NAPSP co-chairman said that online education was also a failure in the country as there was no electricity neither internet facility in the backward and remote areas.

Imran suggested, “If the government wants to close schools, it should announce a relief package for private educational institutions”.

The official said that thousands of teachers, staff besides people who provide pick and drop service, run canteens, stationery and book shops, and printing presses had also become unemployed.

He suggested that the smart lockdown policy should be continued or if the educational institutions were to be closed, he added that markets, factories, factories, transport, railways, airports, banks, and all public and private offices should be closed too.

Imran said that the government should not take any decision regarding the closure of educational institutions without consulting stakeholders.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, November 23^rd, 2020.