School closures paralyse admissions

The Punjab School Education Department has ordered that all public and private schools and academies remain closed from March 10 to March 31, warning that any private institution found open in violation will be sealed. Registrations of such schools will be cancelled, show-cause notices issued to those responsible, and salaries of headmasters and teachers in public schools may be stopped if they defy orders. Daily reports on compliance have been sought, while eight schools in suburban areas have already been sealed. The department has also banned private schools from opening for new admissions, resulting in a complete disruption of the admissions system for March. Typically, admissions in public and private schools take place from March 1 to 31, with parents enrolling children in new classes, including KG, nursery and Grade 1. However, the closure since March 10 has left the system in disarray. It is feared that admissions this year will remain significantly low, with reports suggesting only 20 per cent admissions compared to last year, marking an 80 per cent decline. Leaders of private school associations, including Abrar Ahmed Khan and Irfan Muzaffar Kiani, criticised the government, saying the education sector has been turned into a testing ground. They said that even countries at war have not closed schools, adding that closures have already affected the annual examination system, which they described as "half-baked," and now admissions have also been paralysed. They demanded immediate reopening of schools and permission to proceed with admissions and exam results. Meanwhile, it has been decided that all students from Grade 1 to Grade 7 in public schools will be promoted without failure, with promotions scheduled for March 31. It was acknowledged that no fully transparent annual examinations could be conducted this year and only a formality was completed. The Rawalpindi District Education Authority warned that despite clear instructions, some institutions continue to call staff and students, terming it a violation of law and a challenge to the government's writ. It added that calling teachers unnecessarily amid fuel shortages and inflation is unjust, especially for those travelling long distances. Authorities warned that institutions opening before March 31 should be sealed immediately, their registrations cancelled, and responsible headmasters summoned to the CEO office and issued show-cause notices, with salaries withheld as an example.