LAHORE: Punjab Minister for School Education Murad Raas has said stern action will be taken against private schools involved in lying off teachers.

He was addressing the media after taking notice of a private school that laid off 190 staff members including teachers, citing financial problems due to Covid-19 pandemic.

He said all the private school teachers being laid off from jobs should file written complaint to their respective district education authority (DAE) chief executive officer (CEO) and the department would take action against schools.

He said the private schools were charging fees from parents and all the schools did not have any expenditure due to closure; than how could they lay off their staff.

The minister said they would take measures to stand with teachers and act against the schools for violating government directions.

Meanwhile, private schools representatives issued their statements that they were forced to lay off the staff due to financial problems in the wake of Covid-19 and as the situation reversed to normal the schools would address the issue of the staff.

Published in Dawn, July 8th, 2020