A new beginning: School asks parents to accompany children

Nobody to be allowed into the school after 7:45am

PESHAWAR:

Parents of children who study in APS have been asked to accompany their children to school on Monday (today) when it reopens after an extended winter vacation.

Talking to the The Express Tribune, army man Mujeebur Rehman said he received a text message from the acting principal of the Army Public School (APS), asking him to accompany his two kids who study in classes five and six.

“The message said students should be in proper school uniform, but should not bring their schoolbags,” Rehman said. He added the SMS stated nobody would be allowed into the school after 7:45am.

Nauman Iqbal, whose son Ammar Iqbal was killed in the APS massacre, said his remaining two sons, Irtaza Iqbal and Samar Iqbal, study in the school. He added he was informed on the phone that he had to accompany his children to the reopening. He claimed the first school day would be reserved for a prayer ceremony.

“We are definitely worried about the safety of our kids, but I will send them to school regardless. Now the security of APS has been considerably beefed up,” he said. “Being a parent, I feel the pain of his death and worry about the others. Every parent in Peshawar is in a similar situation,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 12^th, 2015.