Out of the frying pan into the fire

Previously, the authorities had to shut down schools to contain the spread of Covid-19. A few weeks ago, schools were allowed to reopen after the country witnessed a significant decline in the number of coronavirus cases. However, now, there is another problem that the government has to deal with. In this sweltering heat, conducting on-campus classes is not advisable. A majority of parents have requested the authorities to announce summer vacations so that children can be saved from the current harsh weather conditions. However, the closure of schools will create learning losses.

The authorities need to pay attention to this important issue and must come up with a concrete plan to deal with these challenges. There is another thing that the government has to look into. Owners of private schools have suffered a lot because of the prolonged closure of private schools. Many parents refused to pay fees, creating more financial challenges for private school owners. As a result, these owners always oppose the decision of shutting down schools. The government must announce financial packages for private school owners so that they can meet their expenses in a better manner. With the help of the government’s financial assistance, these owners will definitely be able to pay the salaries to teachers. Last year, because of the lockdown, many schools flatly refuse to release the salaries of teachers. Private school teachers had to tackle their financial challenges on their own. The government must pay attention to these problems on an urgent basis.

Muhammad Fayyaz Nawrha

Mianwali