Teachers defy govt warning, shut schools

RAWALPINDI:

Teachers have defied the provincial education ministry’s ban against shutting down government schools across the Rawalpindi Division.

The ongoing protests have disrupted educational activities across the province as government employees press their three main demands—the privatisation of public schools, the modification of the leave encashment regulations, and the modification of the pension rules.

All public schools and colleges in the division were shut down entirely as part of the protest. Teachers and non-teaching staff sealed the main entrances of the schools. On the orders of the education ministry, the education officers sent a report about the closure of schools across the district and the absence of students, teachers and non-teaching staff on Saturday.

Read more: Protest forces closure of public schools across Pindi

The protesters say the lockout, sit-ins, and demonstrations will continue until their demands are met. They have also called for the release of its leaders and activists who were arrested over a sit-in outside the Civil Secretariat in Lahore.

A show of solidarity

On the other hand, a strike has also started in colleges to express solidarity with the grave-IV employees while the teachers of the centres of the Department of Literacy have also announced to participate in the protest from Monday.

On Saturday, all government colleges across the division remained closed and the teaching system was completely suspended. Despite the government’s restrictions, the Headmasters Association has also announced its support for the teachers besides announcing to participate in the strike and lockdown of schools.

The headmasters and headmistresses have also flatly refused to take legal action against any teacher or clerk for non-attendance and protest.

Also read: Colleges shut as lecturers join protest

Despite the ministry’s stringent directives, the district education officers have also refused to initiate departmental action against the striking teachers and clerks and have proposed to the Ministry of Education to take action on its own.

Closing doors of education

Teachers and All Pakistan Clerks Association (APCA) leaders have claimed that in case of privatisation of public schools, the fees for primary classes will be Rs2,000, Rs5,000 for middle classes, Rs10,000 for high classes and for the higher secondary schools the fee will be Rs12,000. “This will close the doors of education on the children belonging to the low-income and middle-class households,” they said.

“At present, the fee for grade I to matric is just Rs20. The distribution of free books, uniforms and school bags among students will also be stopped,” they added.

They also announced that they would not let the rich buy or sell the schools meant for the poor.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 15^th, 2023.