Engagement of teachers for non-academic duties banned

In a landmark verdict, Lahore High Court Rawalpindi bench Judge Mirza Waqas Rauf has banned engaging teachers in non-academic activities except for the election duties. The decision will be applicable across the whole Punjab province.

The court ruled that under article 220 of the constitution, no duty other than teaching can be taken from teachers and they are barred from performing all kinds of duties including dengue and polio campaigns.

A petition challenging the extra duties being taken from teachers was filed by the Punjab Teachers’ Union (PTU) President Raja Tahir and others.

Petitioner's lawyer Aziz-ur-Rehman was of the view that by taking all kinds of duties from teachers has paralysed the education system.

“Taking all kinds of duties from teachers is a violation of the constitution and it is also destroying the education system,” he said.

District Education Authority Chief Executive Officer Kashif Azam, who appeared during the hearing, assured the court that no further duties would be assigned to the teachers.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 30^th, 2022.