PESHAWAR: The police on Monday briefly detained over 20 owners and principals of private schools protesting against the government for not releasing funds to them for enrolling out-of-school children.

The owners, principals and their students had gathered outside the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly building, carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans in favour of their demands.

The protesters were led by provincial president of all private partners schools’ association Zafar Iqbal.

The owners of private schools from Mardan, Charsadda, Kohat, Swat and other parts of the province participated in the protest.

The office-bearers of the association, including Zafar Ali, Amir Rahman, Mohammad Ihsan, Ishtiaq Tanoli, Shamsul Hadi and Noorul Hadi addressed the protesters.

They said the government had signed an agreement with the private schools under a voucher scheme launched in 2014 to enroll out-of-school children. Under the agreement, they maintained the government was supposed to pay Rs500 monthly tuition fee to the private schools for each freshly enrolled student, but the dues were not paid till date.

They asked minister for elementary and secondary education Shahram Khan Tarakai and managing director of the Elementary Education Foundation to ensure release of the outstanding dues.

The police arrested 20 owners of private schools and principals in a bid to disperse the protesters.

Meanwhile, an official of the Sharqi police station told Dawn that all the arrested persons had been released as the government did not want to register FIRs against them.

Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2021