RAWALPINDI, Jan 25: School teachers here on Friday opposed handing over of four government schools in the city to a Non Governmental Organization (NGO) under City District Government and Private Partnership project.

In a press release issued by Punjab Teachers Union Rawalpindi Chapter, the teachers stated that they would start one hour token boycott of the classes from February 1 against the decision.

Girls High School Locoshed, Girls primary school Dhoke Hassoo, Government Boys primary school Dhoke Hassoo and Government girls primary school Dhoke Mangtal have been adopted by Idara Taleem-o-Agahi.

The district government is planning to hand over 15 more schools to an NGO under the same project.

The teachers alleged that the present government was bent upon privatising some prominent educational institutions apparently to extract good results but valuable property and infrastructure was being given to the private sector.

The most affected of this scheme are teachers who would be left at the mercy of the adopter. Some 27 primary schools in Gujar Khan were given to an NGO that has displaced many teachers. Teachers are concerned over the steps of the government as the poor children could not afford costly education.

Talking to Dawn a senior teacher on condition of anonymity said all infrastructures, available basic facilities, recruitment, teachers performance evaluation and their training would be handed over to the adopter.

He said the government has decided to privatise all major educational institutions. The four schools were handed over to the NGO with the signatures of executive district officer Education, he said. The EDO could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.