Demanding reopening of schools: Private school teachers stage city-wide protests

Following a call by Federation of Punjab private schools, teachers in the district stepped out to stage a protest at various locations across Ludhiana seeking the immediate opening of schools

Private school teachers carried out city-wide protests by in Ludhiana demanding reopening of schools. (HT File)

Private school teachers in the district on Saturday staged a peaceful protest at various locations across the city seeking the immediate opening of schools following a call by the Federation of Punjab private schools.

Representatives of schools affiliated from the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) registered their protest at Vardhman chowk, Phullanwal chowk, Haibowal chowk, Phillaur toll plaza, Doraha chowk, Ranjit avenue, Chaukiman toll, Ladhowal toll, Machhiwara chowk, among others.

Protesters lined up with banners and posters, raising slogans including, “theke khule, schools band” and “no schools, no note”.

Sri Guru Hargobind Public School faculty member and a protestor Ramandeep Singh accused the government of selective implementation Covid regulations, saying, “The education system has majorly been hit. The students won’t get quality education if they aren’t allowed at the schools. If the government’s intentions are to save students from getting infected, they should not allow anyone in the busy markets, wedding halls, gyms, restaurants.”

“Other states and UT’s have reopened the schools but the state government here further extended the Covid restriction guidelines. The protest will be intensified in case the government doesn’t pay heed to us,” another protester added.

Federation district representative Manmohan Singh said the two-year-long pandemic-induced shutdown has already had a detrimental impact on student development before pressing for schools to be allowed to open.

“The students are attending wedding functions, going shopping or travelling with their families without any fear of Covid. Then how only schools are vulnerable for them?”, Singh said.

He added that the parents have also approached school management across the state, expressing their interest in having children attend offline classes. He hinted at parents joining the protest in case their issues are not heard.