Private schools to protest govt’s closure order

Islamabad : All Pakistan Private Schools and Colleges Association has decided to protest against the government’s decision to close educational institutions.

On Friday, the association’s president, Malik Abrar, said that private schools have rejected the NCOC’s decision. “Due to the school closure, hundreds of students are out of school, while thousands of teachers have lost their jobs,” he told reporters.

“How is it fair to keep parks, shopping malls, and shops open but close schools?” Abrar questioned, adding that education minister Shafqat Mahmood has conveniently ignored the association’s demands.

“The government wants to get funds by keeping educational institutions closed,” he said, adding that if their demands aren’t met, the association will march towards D-Chowk on March 31.

“The protests will start in the capital and then spread across the country,” the president warned.

Schools in different parts of Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa were closed from March 15 to 28 because of a sharp rise in the number of coronavirus infections. Their closure has now been extended till the second week of April.