Private schools opposed the decision of the federal government to keep educational institutions closed until July 15, as it reported Saturday, May 9, lifting the lockdown restrictions.

In a tweet, President Kashif Mirza of the All Pakistan Schools Federation said they would not support the government’s decision to hold the educational institutions closed until July 15th.

Terming private institutes’ “economic murder,” Mirza said that 90% of private school buildings are leased while teachers are paying their salaries as well.

“Around 50% schools would be shut down permanently and one million people would lose their jobs if educational institutes remained closed until July 15,” Mirza said. “It is impossible to recover educational losses due to the coronavirus lockdown.”

He demanded that the government formulate SOPs and announce that schools across Pakistan will reopen from June 1.

The president of the APPSF said if the government did not, then they would be pressured by their own SOPs to reopen the schools.

He also called on the government to revoke its decision to cancel board exams.

Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood said earlier in the day that the government decided to extend the closure of all educational institutions to mid-July due to a increase in Covid-19 incidents.

Mahmood said the board exams for the ninth to intermediate degree (12th degree) would not be held due to the current crisis.

He said students will be promoted on the basis of last year’s exams, adding that students will be admitted to universities on this basis over their intermediate first year results.