Street smart: Police clash with protesting teachers
Sindh Professors and Lecturers’ Association announces black day today
The protesting teachers were dispersed with water cannons and batons, resulting in minor injuries to seven, including women. Several teachers were arrested and released later. PHOTOS: ONLINE
KARACHI:
Sindh Professors and Lecturers Association (SPLA) announced a black day across the province today after their rally was cut short by the police on Wednesday.
The group of protesting teachers were dispersed with water cannons and batons, resulting in minor injuries to seven teachers, including female ones. Several teachers were arrested but were released later.
Earlier on Wednesday, SPLA called a general body meeting at DJ Science College to come up with a plan of action to protest the delays in promotions of professors and lecturers across the province. Teachers from all across Sindh participated in the general body meeting.
Soon after the meeting ended, the teachers announced they will march towards Chief Minister House to record their protest. It was on the way to CM House that the police met the protesters with water cannons and batons. In the resulting clash, several teachers were injured and detained.
Addressing the protesters, SPLA president Ali Murtaza put forward their four demands: imposition of a four-tier formula for promotions, end of corruption, issuance of seniority list of teachers of grades 17, 18 and 19, and enforcement of merit.
Murtaza condemned the non-serious behaviour of the education minister and the secretary and claimed that their attitude reflects that democracy has been replaced by monarchy in Sindh. It is terrible that the government has not spared even the education and health departments from their corrupt practices, Murtaza told The Express Tribune.
According to him, education secretary Fazlullah Pechuho is responsible for the destruction of the education department. "It is surprising that whoever the education minister is in Sindh, he has to work under the secretary," he said.
He shared how teachers are asked to pay bribes when they apply for leaves, such as Umrah or other reasons. The financial position of teachers in Sindh is very poor, he said, before reiterating their demand for a four-tier promotion formula.
According to SPLA spokesperson Munawar Abbas, three provinces are already following the four tier promotion formula whereas the Sindh government is not, which is the main reason for the teachers' unrest.
In the other three provinces, the education department has multiple secretaries, said Murtaza, giving the example of Punjab, which has three secretaries, while Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan have two each. Sindh is the only province with only one education secretary due to his relations with one of Sindh's top politicians, claimed Murtaza.
Abbas pointed out how there are many teachers who are working at grade 17 for the last 16 years. It has created a feeling of frustration among the teachers, he said, adding that the librarians are also facing similar issues. Murtaza later addressed a press conference to share SPLA's future course of action. Teachers across Sindh will observe a black day and hold protests at the district level, he announced. On April 25, a similar general body meeting will held at DJ Science College to protest the injustice meted out to the professors on Wednesday.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 31st, 2016.
Sindh Professors and Lecturers Association (SPLA) announced a black day across the province today after their rally was cut short by the police on Wednesday.
The group of protesting teachers were dispersed with water cannons and batons, resulting in minor injuries to seven teachers, including female ones. Several teachers were arrested but were released later.
Earlier on Wednesday, SPLA called a general body meeting at DJ Science College to come up with a plan of action to protest the delays in promotions of professors and lecturers across the province. Teachers from all across Sindh participated in the general body meeting.
Soon after the meeting ended, the teachers announced they will march towards Chief Minister House to record their protest. It was on the way to CM House that the police met the protesters with water cannons and batons. In the resulting clash, several teachers were injured and detained.
Addressing the protesters, SPLA president Ali Murtaza put forward their four demands: imposition of a four-tier formula for promotions, end of corruption, issuance of seniority list of teachers of grades 17, 18 and 19, and enforcement of merit.
Murtaza condemned the non-serious behaviour of the education minister and the secretary and claimed that their attitude reflects that democracy has been replaced by monarchy in Sindh. It is terrible that the government has not spared even the education and health departments from their corrupt practices, Murtaza told The Express Tribune.
According to him, education secretary Fazlullah Pechuho is responsible for the destruction of the education department. "It is surprising that whoever the education minister is in Sindh, he has to work under the secretary," he said.
He shared how teachers are asked to pay bribes when they apply for leaves, such as Umrah or other reasons. The financial position of teachers in Sindh is very poor, he said, before reiterating their demand for a four-tier promotion formula.
According to SPLA spokesperson Munawar Abbas, three provinces are already following the four tier promotion formula whereas the Sindh government is not, which is the main reason for the teachers' unrest.
In the other three provinces, the education department has multiple secretaries, said Murtaza, giving the example of Punjab, which has three secretaries, while Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan have two each. Sindh is the only province with only one education secretary due to his relations with one of Sindh's top politicians, claimed Murtaza.
Abbas pointed out how there are many teachers who are working at grade 17 for the last 16 years. It has created a feeling of frustration among the teachers, he said, adding that the librarians are also facing similar issues. Murtaza later addressed a press conference to share SPLA's future course of action. Teachers across Sindh will observe a black day and hold protests at the district level, he announced. On April 25, a similar general body meeting will held at DJ Science College to protest the injustice meted out to the professors on Wednesday.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 31st, 2016.