NEC announces protest against schools’ closure

PESHAWAR: National Education Council (NEC) has rejected the government decision to close educational institutions and announced to protest outside the provincial assembly premises on April 5.

Speaking at a press conference in Peshawar Press Club on Saturday, NEC chairman Nazar Hussain, president, Zafar Iqbal, vice-president Mairaj Nabi, president Iqra School Tahufaz-e-Taleem Gul Nabi and other representatives of private schools announced to keep schools open and said they would not accept anti-education decisions of the government.

They demanded compensation for having closed their schools for eight months, relief in rents for small schools and salaries for teachers.

They announced to participate in the protest demonstration in Islamabad on March 31 and continue protest till the acceptance of their demands.

They said the entire bazaars, markets, business centers, transport and other activities had been kept open despite violation of SOPs but the educational institutions were being closed. Terming such a decision illegal and against article 25 of the Constitution, they said they would not accept such anti-education policies of the government.

They said they could no longer not afford closing their institutions and urged the government to review what they called anti-people and anti-education policies.