Officials gear up for sit-in amid boycott
In response to the privatisation of government schools, amendments to pension regulations, and the issue of leave encashment, government employees have decided to stage a protest sit-in in front of the Punjab chief minister’s office in Lahore on Tuesday (today), days after boycotting official activities across the Rawalpindi division.
The move comes following a call by the Federation All Government Employees Grand Alliance (AGEGA).
According to sources, this sit-in is expected to continue indefinitely until the acceptance of the protestors’ charter of demands.
In preparation for this demonstration, employees, especially teachers, and clerks made their way to Lahore on Monday night, with several convoys scheduled to arrive on Tuesday morning. These protestors used various modes of transportation such as buses, trains, and cars to reach Lahore.
In addition to abstaining from work, teachers have symbolically expressed their protest by placing mats outside, effectively disrupting the academic sessions.
It's pertinent to mention here that the strike has caused a halt in the teaching systems of government schools for a week, and daily operations have come to a standstill across various government offices including those of the commissioner, deputy commissioner, health, social welfare, municipalities, district council, and municipal corporation.
Following the strike, teachers' associations organised a protest rally on Murree Road on Monday in favour of their demands. Leaders from various teachers' associations, including Akhian Gul, Raja Tahir, and Shafiq Bhalwalia, along with APCA leaders Shahzad Kayani, Chaudhary Mubasher, and Raja Aftab, declared that their nonviolent strike has lasted for ten days.
They emphasised their determination to maintain the sit-in protest in Lahore until their charter of demand is accepted, stating that they will remain seated until their rights are secured.
Additionally, they called on the government to hold open elections rather than amending laws and to defer to the new government on all pertinent issues.
On the other hand, the registration and renewal of private schools in Rawalpindi district have been in limbo for the past eighteen months, with 105 new school applications awaiting final approval.
According to sources, the new building fitness requirements mandated by the Punjab government have presented significant challenges to private school management.
Under the new regulations, the building fitness certificate from the sub-divisional officer (SDO) of the government building department has become a prerequisite for registering new private schools. While a notification outlining these changes has been issued, the building department has not yet been formally apprised of the updated guidelines and regulations. Consequently, no private school has received a certificate of fitness for their buildings.
Additionally, the transfer of senior officer Malik Akhtar from the Private Schools Registration Branch has further slowed down the registration process.
Muzaffar Kayani, the President of the All Pakistan Private Schools Colleges Association, has called for a return to the previous registration system and suggested that school building fitness certificates could be issued by government-approved private engineering company engineers.
He emphasised that no new private school registrations have been approved in the past year and a half.
Kayani urged swift action, suggesting that all pending applications should be processed and approved within 30 days to enable the opening of new schools. This would allow for the enrollment of students in the new schools at the beginning of the upcoming year, which is fast approaching in 2024.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 10th, 2023.