PESHAWAR: Dozens of private school teachers protested outside the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly here on Tuesday against the sealing of their educational institutions by the Peshawar Development Authority.

Forty-two privately-owned schools were recently closed by the PDA over illegal operations in Hayatabad Township’s residential areas.

The protesters demanded the immediate sealing of their schools and said if that didn’t happen, they would protest outside the Chief Minister’s House and PDA offices.

President of the Hayatabad Private Schools Teachers Association Seema Jamil said that the sealing of schools had threatened the education of 20,000 students.

She said those schools not only provided jobs to 2,000 teachers but also imparted quality education to children for minimal fee.

“We had voted for the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf in elections due to its promise of prioritising education, but after coming to power, it is harming the cause of formal learning,” she said.

Ms Seema said the sealing of schools had caused learning losses for thousands of students. She said the women teachers with higher education worked in private schools for their financial and other freedom.

The association leader demanded the immediate desealing of schools in the “larger interest of students and teachers.”

Meanwhile, provincial president of the Private Education Network Aqeelzada complained about the sealing of private schools in Hayatabad Township.

He told reporters that private schools operated across the country, so why those in Hayatabad were targeted.

Mr Aqeelzada said that the government had spared some Hayatabad plots for educational institutions but they’re not catering to the needs of residents.

He said that the sealed private schools were imparting education to children close to their houses, saving parents transportation costs.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2024