LAHORE: All private educational institutes established in cantonment areas have been directed to shut down within 15 days, while the private schools association has expressed concern over the directives issued by the respective cantonment boards of Punjab.

The 45 cantonment boards of the province have directed all private educational institutes in their respective areas to close their activities in residential areas under an order of the Supreme Court issued in a case on Oct 24, 2017.

According to data from the All Pakistan Private Schools Federation, there were around 1,600 private schools/colleges in Lahore Cantonment, around 15,000 in Punjab and 30,000 in the country in which around 300,000 teachers were employed with more than four million students studying there.

Cantt boards of Punjab issue notices to institutes under SC order

Lahore Cantonment Board’s Additional Cantonment Officer Ammara Ammar had issued a notification – a copy of which is available with Dawn – to a property owner in Old Officer Colony, Shabbir Hussain, stating: “In pursuance of Supreme Court of Pakistan’s order, you are hereby directed to stop illegal commercial activity/use of your residential property as commercial within 15 days from the receipt of this letter. In case of non-compliance the property will be sealed without any further notice.”

The private schools federation has expressed concern over the Supreme Court’s decision. Federation President Kashif Mirza said estate officers in cantonments had served notices on private educational institutes in their areas to shift their establishments till Feb 25. The notices were served after the court issued orders in October last year in a case between two parties and provided relief to a resident, and directed schools to shift out of residential areas.

Mr Mirza further said more than 30,000 private educational institutes were running in 45 cantonments of the country where more than four million students studied. The institutes were being discriminated against because other commercial activities and businesses were not asked to stop or relocate their establishments.

He pleaded to the Supreme Court and other higher officials and authorities to intervene and stop the shifting of the institutes by considering the future of the children that studied there.

Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2018