LAHORE: Schoolteachers under the Punjab Grand Teachers Alliance on Wednesday staged a demonstration, demanding the provincial government to revoke the decision to privatise 13,000 public schools and cancel the new timetable and schedule introduced for schools in the province.

A large number of schoolteachers gathered outside the Lahore Press Club carrying placards and banners inscribed with slogans against the government. They said that the privatisation of schools would exacerbate the already critical situation in the education sector, as the province was already grappling with a shortage of 120,000 teachers.

They said that privatiation would further deteriorate the quality of education and increase the burden on the existing staff.

The protest also highlighted the teacher’s concerns over the newly proposed school timetable.

They also demanded regularisation of educators, restoration of leave encashment policy, upgrade of science and computer laboratories, increase in allowances of computer and head teachers, implementation of time-scale promotion in service, pay and service protection, and provision of service promotions.

The Punjab Teachers Union (PTU) Secretary General Rana Liaquat Ali emphasised the need to restore leave encashment policy and introduction of an allowance for computer teachers.

“We need to focus on recruiting new teachers, increasing salaries, and improving working conditions rather than outsourcing our schools,” he stated.

The alliance vowed to continue the agitation until acceptance of the demands, and urged the government to prioritise the needs of the education sector and its workforce.

Earlier, Punjab Minister for School Education Rana Sikandar Hayat visited the Queen Mary School, where he toured various parts of the historic institution, visited classrooms and interacted with the students.

The students complained about the lack of sports activities and the non-functional computer and home economics labs.

The minister assured them that the computer lab would be upgraded and made functional, and instructed the school principal to also make the home economics lab operational soon.

He also promised funds for repairs of the dilapidated parts of school’s buildings and stated that it would be equipped with modern facilities to make it a model institution.

The school will also be provided with a sports ground and other amenities, he pledged.

The minister said that special measures would be taken to impart skills to the students.

On receiving complaints about the lack of clean drinking water, the minister called Wasa managing director and ordered him to ensure provision of clean water to the school within two days and to ensure an immediate water connection.

Published in Dawn, September 12th, 2024