Teachers threaten to lock schools permanently

Teachers on Thursday threatened to lock government educational institutions permanently in the federal capital if the government did not withdraw the decision of putting educational institutions including schools under the administrative control of the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) through an ordinance.

Thousands of teachers took out the rally from the National Press Club to the Parliament House.

Addressing the rally, the teachers' leaders reiterated their commitment to continue the protest till the ordinance was withdrawn. Police had erected barbed wires at D-Chowk to stop the teachers from marching on the Parliament House but they removed the barrier.

Meanwhile, sporadic clashes also broke out between teachers and police. Rally participants staged a sit-in protest in front of the Parliament House.

Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) Joint Action Committee Chairman leaders Fazal Maula, Malik Amir Khan, Imran Mughal and others said that that if the promise made to the teachers was broken then “we have no option but to lock the educational institutions”.

They said that “we are fighting for the children. If educational institutions were placed under the MCI, free education will become a dream”.

They said that they resumed classes on government assurances, but talks were not moving forward. They said that they were being forced to close down educational institutions due to the stubbornness of the government. “Now we will protest in all sectors. Islamabad will be blocked. Teaching and non-teaching staff will continue to protest in educational institutions in Islamabad. The next sit-in will be staged inside the Parliament House,” they said.

They said that the government should not compel them to take to the streets along with school children and parents next time.

The teachers’ leaders said that if their demands were not met, the next course of action would be announced soon. The protest rally was attended by the teaching and non-teaching staff of the FDE.

Pakistan People’s Party leader Nafisa Shah also participated in the protest in solidarity with the teachers. Addressing the teachers, Nafisa Shah said that the role of teachers was not like that of an employee. She said that she highly valued the profession and services of teachers. “This is the government that has been attacking government buildings. It attacked PTV and several government buildings and even cursed the parliament,” she said.

She said that it was a pity to place educational institutions under an institution that even did not exist. “Doctors, teachers and students are forced to protest in one part of the country or the other from time to time,” she said assuring the teachers of her party’s full support.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 24^th, 2021.