Parents of students of Pak-Turk International schools and colleges have warned the government to protest along with teachers and students against handing over the education system to Turkish non-profit organisation (NGO). Speaking at a news conference at Peshawar Press Club on Tuesday, the parents criticised the Pakistan government plan to handover the education system to a Turkish non-governmental organisation called Maarif Foundation. They alleged the move was an effort to gain political mileage.
A group of parents along with teachers, headed by Owais Bilal, Dr Mohammad Zubair, SiddiqueShinwari, Allah Din, Sher Mohammad said that their children's future was put at stake to "please a foreign political party." They said that schools and colleges would suffer if handed-over to the "poorly-equipped and infamous" Maarif Foundation.
The Speakers underlined they would be forced to take their children out of the schools if the government went ahead with the plan. They also threatened to protest, along with students, against the government. The parents said those taking over do not understand the education systems in Pakistan, whether it is matriculation or Cambridge.
They all agreed Maarif Foundation was an infamous entity that would destroy the future of their children. Owais Bilal told the media persons that the network of 28 schools and colleges in more than 10 cities of the country, has a staff strength of 1,700, including 108 Turkish teachers, who teach around 12,000 students from pre-school to A level. "Since 1995, he added that the schools have been giving quality education to Pakistani students with no political motivation or illegal activity,"
For parents the choice of school for their kids is indeed the most difficult phase, one has to consider so many things before sending their children to a certain environment, Owais Bilal said. "But today after 20 years of Pak-Turk foundation in this country, we are all proud that we send our kids to this school because of its quality of education. But today the future of more than 12,000 students enrolled in Pak-Turk schools is at stake," said the parents.
Dr Mohammad Zubair claimed that any school handed over to the Maarif Foundation was closed-down. "It is unacceptable that a complete chain of high-performing schools will be being destroyed at the behest of a foreign political party." The parents have asked the Counter Terrorism Department Punjab to stop pressurising the Chairman Pak-Turk Schools and Colleges for resignation to not pave way for handing over Pak-Turk Schools and Colleges to the Maarif Foundation.
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