Punjab Teachers Announce School Lockdown from September 27
In a strong stance against the Punjab government’s plan to outsource educational institutions, the Grand Teachers Alliance has declared a province-wide school shutdown beginning September 27. This move comes as part of a broader protest against what teachers see as an attempt to privatize public education.
On September 26, teachers from across Punjab will gather in Lahore to demonstrate their opposition to the outsourcing plan. The protests will continue until their demands are met. Key leaders of the alliance, including Raja Tahir Mehmood, President of the Grand Teachers Alliance Punjab, and Qazi Mohammad Imran, President of the Punjab Teachers Union Rawalpindi District, announced the decision at a press conference in Rawalpindi.
Raja Tahir Mehmood criticized the government’s plan, arguing it threatens the quality of education and job security for teachers. He emphasized that teachers will march in Lahore to voice their discontent and protect public education.
In Rawalpindi, protests will start earlier. Qazi Mohammad Imran announced that schools in the Rawalpindi division will close from September 24. He highlighted that this struggle is crucial for educators and vowed to continue the fight until the government reverses its decision.
Imran also noted that the issue of privatizing schools has been ongoing, with around 250 to 300 government schools in Rawalpindi already outsourced in recent years, affecting areas such as Kahuta, Taxila, and Kotli Sattian.
