K-P disburses largesse at twilight of tenure

Upgrades thousands of primary, secondary school teachers in one fell swoop

PESHAWAR:

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Cabinet, apparently in its last meeting held here on Tuesday with Chief Minister Mahmood Khan in the chair, approved up-gradation of the posts of secondary school teachers (SST) and primary school teachers (PST) from basic pay scale (BPS) 16 to BPS-17 and from BPS-12 to BPS-14 respectively with effect from the next financial year.

The up-gradation of these posts, which was a long-standing demand of the teacher community, will benefit as many as 21,800 SSTs and 51,000 PSTs.

The posts of CT, DM, AT and PET have also been upgraded from BPS-15 to BPS-16 to fulfill their demand.

Similarly, a four-tier formula was also approved for the teachers to pave the way for promotion of 13,888 teachers working in various scales ranging from BPS-17 to BPS-20.

The provision of Rs180 million as supplementary budget was also approved by the cabinet for making 20 police vehicles bulletproof for as many sensitive districts of the province.

Minister for Elementary & Secondary Education Shahram Khan Tarakai and Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Information & PRs Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif told reporters in a post-cabinet briefing that promotion of education sector was at the top of the PTI government’s priorities.

They said that the provincial government had taken various revolutionary steps in this regard which included the recruitment of thousands of teachers purely on merit, launching of double shift in schools, making the teaching of Quran compulsory as well as allocation of record funds for the education sector in the budget.

They said that the cabinet also approved one-time cash grant of Rs50 million, and Rs20 million for Peshawar Press Club and Swat Press Club respectively.

Similarly, a grant of Rs5 million was approved for the Nowshera Press Club, they added.

The cabinet, they said, also approved the establishment of District Committees on the Status of Women (DCSW).

The district committees, which will be headed by a female chairperson and comprising two elected female councilors as members besides others, will work for the wellbeing of the females as well as addressing their problems. The cabinet, they said, also approved policy on urban forestry.

They said that the cabinet also approved a grant of Rs5 million as annual sustenance fund for Umeed Special Education School.

The cabinet also approved the transfer of three kanal land for the establishment of Rescue 1122 station at Mouza Kakki-1, tehsil Kakki, Bannu.

The establishment of the station will contribute towards providing prompt relief to the people of this far flung area in Bannu during natural calamities and emergency situations.

Furthermore, the cabinet approved the grant of age relaxation to as many as 77 assistant sub inspectors (ASIs) in police department, selected through Public Service Commission four years back.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 18^th, 2023.