MIANWALI, Sept 8: All state-run schools remained closed on Monday throughout the district in protest against the ‘hostile attitude’ of the EDO (Education) on the call of teacher associations and unions.

All the students were sent back to their homes due to the teachers’ strike.

Although the teachers had announced holding demonstration on the roads, the presence of heavy police contingents at the main gates of all schools restricted them to within the four walls of their respective institutions.

Reports say new admissions to 6th and 9th classes have begun and most of the parents desire to get their children admitted to the Government Comprehensive High School (GCHS) and Central Model High School (CMHS) in Mianwali city for their better results.

The standard of other schools is quite dismal as out of total 91 high schools, 72 schools in the district are running without headmasters and, barring a few, no schools have science teachers.

The admission to these two city schools is only made through entrance test.

EDO (Education) Mushtaq Hussain Khan Baloch, posted here a month ago, is issuing orders for admission of scores of students to these schools by going by the rules and regulations.

This “interference” of the EDO (E) has infuriated teachers’ leaders posted at the GCHS.

So strong is the teachers association and unions that no EDO or officer from the education department or the district administration has ever dared to annoy them.

These teachers have showed their power in the past when they got their fellows promoted to higher cadres on fake certificates without fear from any quarter.

Teachers Association president Rafiullah Khan told Dawn that the association had warned the EDO (E) not to interfere in schools’ admissions, particularly in Central Model and Government Comprehensive High Schools, but to no avail.

He said the teachers would continue their strike till the transfer of the EDO (E).

He alleged that the official was vandalizing the entire set-up of education in the district.

The teachers would evolve their future line of action in their next meeting to be held on Sept 11, he said.

When contacted, EDO Mushtaq Hussain said that he was obeying the orders of the Punjab chief minister and secretary schools of providing admission to all the children in schools.

He claimed that he was following the slogan of “education for all” and none of the student desirous to get education would be refused.

The EDO said that the additional teaching staff had been provided and more rooms were got constructed to facilitate maximum number of students in both schools.

Mr Hussain alleged that the teachers who remained absent for days had become teachers’ leaders.

He said that he had informed the high-ups about the monopoly of teacher unions who were responsible for ruining the education system in the district.