PESHAWAR: Private schools in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) warned to stop providing transport facility to students from 15 January after the provincial government slapped ban on dilapidated school vehicles over pollution.
The KP General Secretary, Private Education Network (PEN), Syed Anas Takrim Kakakhel said that providing transport facility to students is not the responsibility of private schools. Kakakhel said that they cannot afford the cost of modern buses as directed by the provincial transport department.
Read more:
Air Pollution: Govt slaps ban on dilapidated school vehicles
Lahore: Pakistan’s 2nd largest city reels under air pollution
Govt, industrialists agree to overcome environmental pollution
He informed the private schools have started consultations to stop providing transport service from January 15, if the government fail to withdraw the notification. Kakakhel said, “All private institutions in the province are being asked to abolish school transport from January 15 so that parents or the government may arrange modern buses for the student.” He said that it is the constitutional responsibility of the federal and provincial governments to provide free education facilities. “New policies and the government’s continued crackdown on private schools are making it difficult for the public to get education, but also discouraging private sector to help in providing quality education,” Takrim said.
He said they have also requested the Peshawar High Court to review the decision and become a party in the case. He added that they will also approach the High Court on the labour laws which are not applicable to private entities after the formation of Private Schools Regulatory Authority (PSRA).
On 15 December, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Transport Department has slapped ban on dilapidated school buses. The notification issued by the transport department ordered the private schools to replace vehicles registered with the excise department before December 2000 within a month; otherwise, the administration will have to take disciplinary action.
The transport department said that most of the transport vehicles of the educational institutions, especially private schools, have become obsolete and worn out which is causing pollution.