BY MUHAMMAD MUSTAFA MUGHAL
Dera Ismail Khan : Protests against the provincial government’s decision to privatize government educational institutions and outsource colleges have intensified across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. On Saturday, students from various colleges in Dera Ismail Khan staged demonstrations outside their campuses, holding placards and banners inscribed with slogans against privatization.
The demonstrators chanted slogans against the provincial government and the education department, declaring that the privatization of government schools and colleges would never be accepted. They warned that if the decision was not withdrawn, the scope of protests would be expanded and even the Chief Minister’s House would be besieged. Students emphasized that education is a fundamental right, and privatization would endanger the future of children from poor and middle-class families.
Meanwhile, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Professors, Lecturers and Librarians Association (KPPLLA) has also strongly rejected the policy, intensifying their protest movement across the province. The association stated that outsourcing of colleges and unconstitutional amendments in service rules are tantamount to undermining the higher education sector and depriving teachers of their basic rights.
Speaking on the occasion, KPPLLA Dera Ismail Khan Division President, Professor Ihsanullah Khan Gandapur, said:
“This struggle is not just for the rights of teachers, but for the better future of students, quality education, and the protection of a strong education system. If the government does not withdraw the policy and resolve the matter through negotiations, the protest movement will be further expanded, and the government will be solely responsible.”
Both teachers and students stressed that the movement has now entered a decisive phase, and there is no turning back from their mission.
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