Teachers gear up protest

Teachers protest against delayed implementation of their upgradation package.

ISLAMABAD: Federal government teachers geared up their protest on Monday after four days peaceful boycott of classes. A large number of the teachers assembled outside parliament house to press their longstanding demands.

Hundreds of teacher marched from the National Press Club to the D-Chowk near parliament Lodges and staged a sit-in at the old parade avenue, demanding implementation of their upgradation package, regularization of services, improvement of service structure and introduction of a uniform education system in the capital. The teachers were carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans in favour of their demands and chanted slogans against the bureaucracy who according to them, are delaying the implementation of the package announced by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani four months ago.

“We are still perusing a peaceful way of protest,” said Federal Government Teachers Association’s President Azhar Mehmood, “but if the notification regarding implementation of the package is not issued, the protest will turn violent.” He warned that students of over 400 schools will soon join teachers in their protest if the demands are not met within a week.

The protest was organised by Capital Schools Head Teachers Association and the Federal Government Schools Teachers Association Islamabad chapter.

President of Capital Schools Head Teachers Association, Farida Yasmin said, “Teachers are the most deprived segment of government employees and nobody is ready to listen to them.” She said that principals and heads of FG educational institutions are being paid only Rs30 to 50 monthly allowances, while heads in the provinces are getting Rs1,000 to 1,200, “which is sheer injustice with the federal teachers”.

“It seems that voices of thousands of teachers do not reach even the corridors of power,” said another teachers’ union official, Tariq Khatik. “This time we will make sure that out voices are heard by the authorities.” The teachers will continue the boycott till the up-gradation package is implemented, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 22^nd, 2011.