Majority of female teachers refuse to join campaign

Say assigned areas are too far from their homes

MANSEHRA: At least 50 female teachers of different government schools agreed on Thursday to join the polio vaccination campaign, while 150 showed reluctance as their assigned areas were far from their homes.

The district administration and health department jointly organised a vaccination drive for 269,000 children. A total of 872 teams comprising teachers and health staff will conduct the exercise.

The administration selected and asked for 200 women teachers from different government schools to attend a one-day training exercise for the three-day drive.

However, since the administration notified the names of all the teachers without their consent, a number of them reached the New Circuit House, the venue of the training, and boycotted the session.

Justifying their decision, the teachers said Grade-V exams of government schools were around the corner and coursework at different class levels was still incomplete. They believed the vaccination campaign would prove costly for students. Those who boycotted the training said they would not be held responsible, yet again, if the failing percentage increased.

When approached for comments, All Teachers Association President Abdul Salaam said that the 50 teachers who agreed to be part of the campaign were given areas close to home. That way, they would be able to return before it gets dark. He added others would find it difficult to reach their assigned localities and requested the administration to cancel orders given without
their consent.

“They have not refused, but only asked for reassignment or engagement only of teachers that face no problem leaving their localities,” he said.

To a question, he replied that teachers were equally loyal to the cause of polio eradication and were ready to offer their services in a conducive environment.

The president said he met the administration and brought officials up-to-speed with the difficulties of women teachers.

He asked that they be replaced by their male counterparts. He pointed out that the health department also has 1,000 trained workers of its own in the district.

He clarified that his association would protect the rights of women teachers. Salaam warned that they would move the court or protest if teachers were punished for not joining the campaign on genuine grounds.

Meanwhile, the district administration – which was exposed to a difficult situation after the refusal of women teachers and having missed two days of vaccinations – held negotiations with education department officials. They said vaccination was likely to be rescheduled.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 25^th, 2016.