Teachers protest against non-payment of their salaries. PHOTO: WASEEM NAZIR/EXPRESS
ABBOTTABAD/ ISLAMABAD: While educators around the globe marked World Teachers’ Day on Wednesday, hundreds of teachers in the capital observed it as a black day, boycotting classes to protest non-payment of their salaries for the last four months.
Despite the pouring rain in the capital, teachers also staged a demonstration outside the National Press Club. They then took out a rally that ended near NADRA Chowk.
Riffat, who teaches biology at a girl’s college in F-7/2, told The Express Tribune that she was a widow and had to look after three children. But non-payment of dues meant that she did not have the money to support her family. Others at the protest, which consisted primarily of women teachers, had similar stories to tell.
Over 1,500 teaching and non-teaching staff at various schools and colleges of the capital, employed by the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) under the ministry of Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) on daily wages, had been demanding regularisation of their services and release of salaries held since June.
In this regard, they had gone on a partial strike since Monday, boycotting at least four periods.
On Wednesday, the staffers decided to mark the internationally observed day to protest the injustices meted out to them, especially non-payment of dues. This year’s theme for the day was valuing teachers and improving their status, stressing that teachers are not only pivotal to the right to education they are key to achieving the targets set out in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
But the protesting teachers narrated how they had been exploited and forced to work in precarious conditions.
Accolades for teachers
While the protesting teachers were literally left out in the rain, a number of government sponsored events were held around the capital to pay homage to educators.
“Teachers play such an important role in the world that wisdom and knowledge flowed due to their efforts,” Chairperson, National Commission for Human Development (NCHD), ex-senator Razina Alam Khan said while addressing a conference titled 21st Century Teacher Challenges and Opportunities.
At the conference organised by the Association for Academic Quality (AFAQ), NCHD distributed awards and cash prizes among its best teachers. Alam expressed hope that school enrolments and literacy rate in the country would improve. She deplored that out of total number of children enrolled in grade one, only 33 per cent reach the matriculation level.
Addressing the conference Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Law and Justice, Barrister Zafar Ullah, said teachers are the backbone of every nation who open the minds of youth and set the direction of their lives. Their prime objective must be to build strong personality of their students who have active consciousness, dedication for betterment of society and zeal to do their work with dedication and sincerity.
Teacher, student bond
Meanwhile in Mansehra, the Vice-Chancellor of Hazara University, Dr Muhammad Idrees, said that the social change has weakened the relation of student and teacher.
Speaking to students and teacher at a ceremony held to mark teachers’ day, he said that a teacher shapes the negative or positive personality and future of a student enabling him to serve the community, by becoming an engineer, doctor and scientist or otherwise.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 6th, 2016.
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