Closure orders: Sindh govt warns to take legal action against private schools

KARACHI: The Sindh government has warned to take legal action against the administration of private schools if they violate closure orders of the provincial education authorities, ARY News reported on Sunday.

The directorate of private schools at the Sindh Education Department sent a letter to all private schools, stating that legal action will be taken over the violation of closure orders.

It stated that the registration of the private schools will be suspended if the administrations reopen the institutions before August 30. The letter said that all private schools were closed for educators and students under the orders of the Sindh Education Department.

In its letter, the directorate asked the private schools’ administrations to complete the COVID-19 vaccination of their staff.

Earlier in the day, the Sindh government notified the indefinite closure of the province’s educational institutes, citing a rise in COVID-19 cases in the province.

Read More: PRIVATE SCHOOLS, COLLEGES DEMAND TO REOPEN INSTITUTIONS WITH FULLY VACCINATED STAFF

According to a notification issued by the provincial education department, the educational institutes will remain close for an indefinite period till further orders are issued by the department.

On August 20, Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah further deferred the reopening of schools by one week to now open on August 30.

Murad Ali Shah said the deferment of reopening comes after the health department’s warnings of a potential spike in Covid cases. “Get vaccinated in the week-long period,” CM Sindh advised the teachers and parents.

However, the fresh notification from the education department has apparently defied the orders of the chief minister who announced the reopening from August 30 rather than August 23.

All Private Schools Management Association Sindh announced on Saturday to launch “Taleem Bachao Tehreek” (save education movement) in the province.

The association will start the movement on August 23 with its first phase to see protests by teachers, students and their parents outside schools against the closure of their educational institutes.

It said all schools will share videos and photos of protests on social media platforms with the hashtag of the Taleem Bachao Tehreek to press the government to reverse its decision of keeping schools closed for another week.