Students, teachers want educational institutes opened

Patiala, February 4

University and college students, schoolteachers and coaching institute owners have demanded opening of educational institutions in the district.

While the coaching institute owners have already submitted a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner Sandeep Hans, university students and schoolteachers, along with farmers, have decided to participate in protests over the demand.

The coaching institute owners said they had submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner’s office last month.

“We visited the DC office today, but he was not available. We have sent him an email requesting that the institutions should now be allowed to open,” the coaching institute owners said.

They said, “All businesses are allowed to open except educational institutions and coaching centres. Even amusement parks, gyms and bars have been allowed to open with 50 per cent capacity. Indoor gatherings of 500 persons and outdoor of 1,000 individuals have been allowed. There is no restriction on the opening of weekly markets while the coaching institutes are being kept shut.”

They pointed out that district magistrates in other districts had already allowed opening of coaching institutes with certain restrictions and the same should be done in Patiala. They said, “Nearly 50 per cent institutions have shut down, while the remaining ones are struggling.”

Government schoolteachers today burnt the government orders of keeping educational institutions shut. They said students were deliberately being kept out of school, which was leading to privatisation as they were forced to study from sources available online. They said, “We, along with farmers, will hold a protest on February 7 in the district. The government is keeping educational institutions shut but is allowing gatherings in political and social functions, rallies and at restaurants and other places.”

Students of colleges and universities, who have been raising the same demand for long, have started an online survey to gather a response from people. They said, “We want schools, colleges and universities to be opened at the earliest.” They said they were going to villages across the state and exhorting people to raise the same demand.

Deputy Commissioner Sandeep Hans was not available for comment.