Lockdown causing numerous problems to private schools in Khanewal

KABIRWALA: Private schools of the district are facing a number of problems due to the lockdown.

Private schools impart a key role in promoting education and if lockdown continues, the country’s education system will suffer an irreparable loss.

“More than 20 million students are studying in more than 200,000 private schools while 500,000 teachers and support staff are rendering their services in these private schools. If the schools are not opened, it is feared that these teachers and support staff may face unemployment, who are sole bread earners for more than 5 million dependents", said All Pakistan Private Schools Management Association district president Muhammad Aslam Zar. He said: “Schools have been close since March and if they are not opened, the country will face educational and economic crisis.”

He said that the parents were not paying school fees and most of the schools relied on the collection of monthly tuition fees ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 2,500, as most of such institutions were housed in the rented buildings. He said: “As per the rent agreement, we’re bound to pay advance rent of the buildings every month. Apart from these expenditures, we also have to pay utility bills, taxes and salaries.” He said that the big schools could easily meet the needs of their staff and manage other expenses, but the low-cost schools, a majority of which operate in remote areas, could not do so.

All Pakistan Private Schools Management Association (APPSMA) Rawalpindi divisional president Abrar Ahmed Khan said that more than 400 private schools had closed down as they could not meet their expenses in the absence of fees. APPSMA Khanewal vice-president Anwar said: “They have given 20pc concession to the parents in tuition fees but the parents are not coming forward to pay their dues.” He asked the government to open the schools as soon as possible without waiting for 15 July, otherwise more than 50pc schools would be forced to shut down. He demanded the government facilitate the private schools by providing interest-free loans so that they might be able to pay salaries to the staff and rent of the buildings.

APPSMA Khanewal general secretary Muhammad Tahir said that when the schools received closure orders, they were directed not to collect advance fees. He said: “If the teachers aren’t paid in this critical situation, they’ll leave their jobs.” Mohsin Lashari, owner of a private school at Siray Sidhu, said: “I am running a private school in a rented building. We receive school fees on monthly basis and we were directed not to collect advance fees. Following the slogan “No school, No fees”, parents are not coming to the school to deposit fees.

The building owner of my school has asked me to pay the rent or vacate the building. He has given me a deadline. At the same time, I am being ordered by the CEO (Education) to pay the teachers’ salaries otherwise he will cancel the school registration. The government is not willing to facilitate me by providing interest free loan so that I may be able to pay the salaries to staff and rent of buildings.” He said that he had decided to close my school permanently.

Teachers and all associations of private schools believed that the financial crunch caused by the Covid-19 pandemic would force a number of low-cost schools to shut down permanently. They feared that the situation would increase the number of the out-of-school children.

APPSMA Mian Channu general secretary Anwaarul Haq said: “They believe that many private schools are in a vulnerable position because educational institutions will remain closed till July 15, and since they haven’t collected fees, they can’t pay salaries to their staff and also they can't pay utility bills, building rents and taxes.”

Private Schools Association chairperson Madam Rizwana said: “If an illiterate bus conductor can ensure the implementation of corona SOPs, why not teachers.” She demanded the government open the schools in June and all school owners would strictly follow the SOPs.

When contacted, Education CEO Ch Ramzan Rashid said that they had received several complaints on the citizen portal regarding non-payment of salaries to the teachers, but the complaints were fake. He, however, said that the private schools were passing through a critical situation and he had planned a meeting with the DC to address their problems.