CHITRAL: Scores of students and teachers from Langlands School and College on Wednesday took to the streets demanding the government remove the British principal of the school to save the repute of the institute and stop its standard from further deterioration.

The protesters held a rally from the school to the DC office where they staged a sit-in. The students were carrying placards and chanting ‘Go Carey Go’, ChitralToday correspondent reported.

The protesting teachers warned that if Carey Schofield, who is currently out of Chitral, was not removed from the post of the principal they would boycott classes.

When Additional Deputy Commissioner Lower Chitral Zakir Hussain Jadoon came out and met the protesters he was informed that since the induction of Ms Schofield as the principal the institute had seen a downfall in its standard of education and irregularities in its financial and management affairs.

As a result of the poor performance of the principal, they added, enrollment in the school was also declining and students were switching to other schools. The protesters said they did not want to see further deterioration in the affairs of the institute which was once known for its quality and discipline.

Langlands School and College students protest against their principal. pic.twitter.com/LsaWxf6CxZ — ChitralToday (@ChitralToday) October 2, 2019

The protesters said the British principal had adopted a management and education policy which was in contradiction of that of the government of Pakistan and in violation of human rights and the labour laws.

Also read: Langlands School doled out Rs10m to its principal in one go

They alleged that the resources of the school were being utilized on the person of the principal. The principal got a so-called staff house constructed but no teacher was allowed to reside in it. Besides, there were other irregularities, they added.

In the name of discipline, the students have been made hostage by turning the institute into a virtual prison, they claimed.

The additional DC told the protesters that the deputy commissioner was already in Peshawar to attend a meeting at the chief secretary office to discuss issues of the Langlands School on Thursday. He said an audit of the school’s accounts would be carried out soon to ascertain the facts and allegations.

He said the reservations of the protesters would be conveyed to the DC so that a decision could be made at the meeting. On his assurance, the protesters dispersed.

Meanwhile, a number of other teachers and students have supported the current principal and claimed that since her induction the discipline in the school had improved due to which some teachers and students were not ready to tolerate her.

Reporting: Muhkam Uddin Ayuni

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