Demands met: Teachers call off strike
Teacher's protest shut schools, colleges for a week.
ISLAMABAD:
The Federal Government teachers called off their week-long strike on Tuesday after the government acceded to their longstanding demands.
“We are going to attend classes from tomorrow [Wednesday] as the government has accepted all our demands,” said Azhar Mahmood Awan, president of the Federal Government Teachers Association, addressing mediapersons and teachers late Tuesday evening. “We will compensate the students who suffered due to our strike,” he said.
He said that the unwavering commitment and successful negotiation of teachers bore fruit and the authorities had to give in to our struggle.
He said that now the Education Ministry has sought only 15 days for implementing the decision. He added that they (the teachers) had given the authorities 20 days for
accepting their demands. “If they failed to issue the notification in 20 days, we will resume our protest again,” he warned.
The teachers went on strike on February 16 by boycotting classes against non-implementation of the package announced by the prime minister on November 8. On Monday they held a massive protest demonstration in the capital city, staged a sit-in on the old Parade Ground near Parliament House.
Awan said that the government has agreed in principle to develop a uniform policy in the upgradation of all teachers irrespective of the fact whether they teach in model or federal government institutions.
The demands, approved by the government are:
A uniform policy will be introduced in all educational institutions of the federal capital effective from February 22.
Teachers of all cadres will be promoted to next grade.
All the head teachers will be entitled to charge allowance and telephone allowance.
Appointment of directors in the Federal Directorate of Education will be made on tenure and seniority basis.
All matric trained teachers will be promoted from BPS 9 to 14.
All trained graduate teachers will be promoted from 16 to 17 according to length of service.
All trained undergraduate teachers will be promoted from 14 to 16.
Equal distribution of the education budget among all the educational institutions will be ensured.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 23rd, 2011.
The Federal Government teachers called off their week-long strike on Tuesday after the government acceded to their longstanding demands.
“We are going to attend classes from tomorrow [Wednesday] as the government has accepted all our demands,” said Azhar Mahmood Awan, president of the Federal Government Teachers Association, addressing mediapersons and teachers late Tuesday evening. “We will compensate the students who suffered due to our strike,” he said.
He said that the unwavering commitment and successful negotiation of teachers bore fruit and the authorities had to give in to our struggle.
He said that now the Education Ministry has sought only 15 days for implementing the decision. He added that they (the teachers) had given the authorities 20 days for
accepting their demands. “If they failed to issue the notification in 20 days, we will resume our protest again,” he warned.
The teachers went on strike on February 16 by boycotting classes against non-implementation of the package announced by the prime minister on November 8. On Monday they held a massive protest demonstration in the capital city, staged a sit-in on the old Parade Ground near Parliament House.
Awan said that the government has agreed in principle to develop a uniform policy in the upgradation of all teachers irrespective of the fact whether they teach in model or federal government institutions.
The demands, approved by the government are:
A uniform policy will be introduced in all educational institutions of the federal capital effective from February 22.
Teachers of all cadres will be promoted to next grade.
All the head teachers will be entitled to charge allowance and telephone allowance.
Appointment of directors in the Federal Directorate of Education will be made on tenure and seniority basis.
All matric trained teachers will be promoted from BPS 9 to 14.
All trained graduate teachers will be promoted from 16 to 17 according to length of service.
All trained undergraduate teachers will be promoted from 14 to 16.
Equal distribution of the education budget among all the educational institutions will be ensured.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 23rd, 2011.