Hayatabad body demands halt to relocation of private schools

PESHAWAR: The Parents Action Committee of Hayatabad has demanded government intervention to halt the relocation of private schools from the township.

Speaking at a press conference, committee president Irfan Afridi and other parents stated that the township had six primary schools, two higher secondary schools, and two colleges at the government level. Afridi said that the PDA had allotted plots to 22 private schools in the township.

However, he said that these schools were not sufficient as the township had a large population, adding that the majority of the parents could not afford the fees of these schools.He said that those schools established in homes were affordable and provide quality education to their children. He said that these schools were also scattered in the township and children were not required to travel long distances.

He said that closure of these schools would create problems for parents, adding that the action would deprive their children of quality education opportunities.He said that action against these schools on the pretext of “commercial activities and change of use” was unjustified as such schools were established across the country and Hayatabad was no exception.

He said that the government should first create opportunities to accommodate these children before taking action against these schools. He said that other schools neither had capacity to accommodate such a large number of students nor could the parents afford the fees of these schools.He said that people of Hayatabad had voted for PTI and expected the government to consider the interest of their children before taking any action.