RAWALPINDI: As construction work on two underpasses worth Rs8 billion on Peshawar Road started, the district administration closed down schools located along the busy artery asking them to conduct online classes for two months.
From Race Course Park to Rafay Mall, all schools have been closed. However, parents expressed displeasure over the decision. The schools had opened on August 22 after summer vacations.The decision to shif t the schools online was taken in a meeting held at the Deputy Commissioner office. The meeting was attended by the Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Rawalpindi, representatives of the City Police Officer and the educational institutions, including The City School, SL S School, SK ANS, Beacon House School, International School and Dar-i-Argam School.
The meeting was informed that the construction of two underpasses constituted a major infrastructure project and the construction activity was likely to cause considerable traffic congestion and disruption along the affected corridor from Qasim Market to Rafay Mall.
The presence of a large number of schools, colleges and other educational institutions along the corridor is likely to further aggravate traffic congestion, particularly management during the opening and closinghours.
It was directed that concerned departments and agencies shall extend all pos-sible cooperation for effective traffic management, public facilitation and smooth execution of the underpasses construction.
After detailed deliberation, it was decided that the educational institutions falling within the affected corridor from Qasim Market to Rafay Mall Peshawar Road shall remain closed for physical classes until completion of the project or further orders, in order to facilitate smooth execution of the construction work and minimise inconvenience to the general public.
All schools, colleges and other educational institutions in the affected area were advised to shift their academic activities online/virtual learning mode or relocate their students to other campuses during the construction period to ensure continuity of academic activities.
However, the parents said that it was difficult for the students to get online classes. They demanded the government to withdraw the decision.
They said that the government carriedout no work during the three months summer vacations and suddenly woke up and closed schools again. All shops and other commercial outlets are open in this area.
Azhar Malik, an owner of private school Darul Argam, said that they shifted the students to the Range Road Branch near Marble Factory as it was not possible to conduct online classes. ‘We raised our concerns but the district administration was not in a mood and said Punjab government had ordered to close the schools during construction work,’ he said.
All Pakistan Private School Management Association North Punjab President Ibrar Ahmed Khan said that students would suffer three more months and already ninth grade result of RBISE was very poor.
He said that instead of managing traffic, the district administration decided to close down schools. He said the academic year of the students will suffer and they would not learn directly from their teachers.