The series of protest demonstrations started in October and according to PTU leaders entered its final phase. PHOTO: FILE
LAHORE:
The Punjab Teachers Union (PTU) on Friday called for boycott of classes on November 28 in public schools across the city.
A Punjab Teachers’ Union statement said the teachers would rally at Nasser Bagh against the proposed district education authority.
The series of protest demonstrations started in October and according to PTU leaders entered its final phase.
PTU general secretary Rana Liaquat Ali told The Express Tribune that teachers will teach their classes till 9:30am on November 28 and then proceed to Nasser Bagh.
He said the PTU had sent notices to the Schools Education Department, the Chief Minister’s Secretariat and the executive district officer (EDO), informing them of its plan to suspend classes.
There are more 1,200 public schools in Lahore.
Ali said the PTU would ensure all teachers leave classes in these schools.
SED officials declined to comment on the situation.
Under standard SED procedures, a monitoring cell can seek explanations from teachers in case of absence from classes.
The PTU has said that any disciplinary against teachers absent from duties during the protest on November 28 “will not be tolerated.”
“Our stance is simple; resolve our issues and we will go back to classrooms,” Ali said.
Over 20,000 teachers are expected to protest at Nasser Bagh next week from all over the Punjab.
On Friday, the PTU held a protest demonstration in Pakpattan during which several public schools were “shut down.” A protest in Multan is scheduled for Monday.
The proposed district education authority was envisaged in the Local Government Act 2013.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 23rd, 2013.
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