PPLA opposes Punjab govt decision to privatise 775 colleges

RAWALPINDI: The future of thousands of students is at stake as professors and lecturers on Thursday went on strike and boycotted classes of all government colleges against the decision to hand over all 775 government colleges in Punjab province to a private entity.

Punjab Professors and Lecturers Association (PPLA) has announced to stage a protest demonstration against the government privatisation policy on January 27 in front to Rawalpindi Press Club (RPC) while in front of Punjab Assembly on February 10, 2020.

Punjab Professors and Lecturers Association (PPLA) has also decided to bring students on roads as well to stage protest demonstrations because students will too affect severely. The students will pay unaffordable increase in fee after handing all government colleges to a private entity.

Professors and lecturers boycotted classes here at Government Asghar Mall College, Government Mohan Pura College for Women, Government Hashmat Ali Islamia College for Boys, Government Degree College for Women Dhok Kala Khan, Government College for Women Gujar Khan, Government Degree College Doltala and some other colleges here on Thursday. Professors and lecturers boycotted classes against decision to hand over all 775 government colleges in Punjab province. The protesters also demanded pay protection and promotions on the basis of merit.

Punjab Professors and Lecturers Association (PPLA) Senior Executive Member Chaudhry Ghulam Murtaza told ‘The News’ that Punjab government has refused to accept our genuine demands. The Punjab government has decided to hand over all 775 government colleges in Punjab province to a private entity. We have decided to start a strong agitation against the government in this regard, he said.

He said the Association decided to boycott classes on daily basis while we will stage a protest demonstration in front of Press Club on January 27. If the government did not accept our demands, we along with our families will stage a protest in front of the Punjab Assembly on February 10, 2020, he warned.

The provincial education department had issued a circular about handing over all government colleges to a private entity, under a public-private partnership arrangement.

The move has sent a wave of fear and panic among the professors and lecturers, who said that the provincial government, through the privatisation of colleges, was shirking its responsibility to fix the broken education system.

The students and parents have appealed the government to turn back decision in the best interest of public. Annual exams are on their heads but professors and lecturers have started boycott of classes. The government should think about it, they said.