KARACHI, Oct 8: Following the American attack on Afghanistan on Sunday night, a number of private schools in the city postponed classes on Monday and announced to put off teaching for another two to seven days.
The management of the schools, serving to the wards of the elites or operating in sensitive areas, did not hold classes on Monday.
There was no clear reasoning behind the decision, but it was maintained that the step had been taken by different institutions, particularly the big chains of schools, which were frightened of any possible war-like situation in the country, said students at some of the privately run schools.
Teaching could not be held in different schools due to thin attendance, while some of the schools had informed their students in advance not to report for education on Monday. An staffer at the American School, KDA Scheme 1, said that the school would remain closed till next Monday.
Though some of the schools, managed by missionary bodies, remained open on Monday, but they too announced later to remain shut on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The St Jude’s School, North Nazimabad, has asked its students not to come on Tuesday, while St Patrick’s Girls and Boys schools have been closed for Tuesday.
The City School, PAF Chapter, has also been closed for Tuesday and Wednesday. Some other branches of the City School and Beacon House School system would remain closed for a couple of days, staffer and students of the schools said.
The PACC English language teaching unit remained open on Monday and staffer at the Federal B Area and Saddar centres said that they performed normally and till night there was no decision about any closure of the centres.
The government run schools and other educational institutions continued their classes on Monday. However, Secretary Education, Sindh, despite efforts by Dawn, could not be reached for his view or measures and directives from the government on the prevailing situation.
Teaching at some of the government run schools and colleges was affected due to law and order situation in some parts of the city, including Defence, Gizri, Sharah-i-Faisal and Garden areas. Overall, the government schools and other educational institutions remained peaceful, but in view of the fresh wave of anti-US protests, a senior officer in the education department said that the government should take into consideration the college students, as it was likely that they might be involved in anti-US protest rallies.
Meanwhile, a students organization, IJT, held a rally against America at the KU campus, which disbursed peacefully after the demonstration, IJT sources claimed, adding that they would continue holding rallies at the campus and other educational institutions of the city.
