Govt warning fails to sway Lahore sit-in plan
Due to a majority of teachers, clerks and non-teaching staff leaving for Lahore to participate in the protest sit-in against the ongoing privatisation of government schools, amendments to pension regulations and the issue of leave encashment, the teaching system in all public schools of the Rawalpindi Division has come to a complete standstill.
The suspension of the teaching activities has left the classrooms deserted while unannounced holidays have been given to the students due to which the splendour of the public schools has dimmed.
According to sources, students of the secondary section are seen in parks during school time and this streak will continue until at least Saturday, October 14.
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Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education has also retaliated by seeking details of all the absent teachers and staff members and the education officers have directed the school heads to furnish the lists of all employees who have left their duties to join the protest sit-in.
The officers have hinted at possible action, including dismissal from service, against such employees under the Punjab Employees Efficiency, Discipline and Accountability Act, 2006 (PEEDA).
Similar orders have also been issued to the officers of the public offices, however, the teacher-clerk organisations have categorically rejected the ‘threat’ and said “If any action is taken against any government employee, the said officer's office will also be surrounded”.
Sit-in enters third day
On the other hand, the protest sit-in by the government teachers and employees across Punjab has entered its third day in Lahore.
In all the six districts of Rawalpindi Division, including Rawalpindi, Murree, Attock, Chakwal, Talagang and Jhelum, the teaching system in all the government schools has come to a halt. Similarly, the routine affairs in all the 32 government departments of the districts, including the offices of the commissioner, deputy commissioners, assistant commissioners, district council, health, education, municipal corporation and municipal committees have stopped due to the departure of the employees.
Open courtrooms of government institutions have also stopped working as complete strikes, lockouts and protests continued in government institutions on Wednesday.
The remaining teachers and employees in all six districts of the Rawalpindi Division have also announced daily sit-ins outside the offices of the commissioner and deputy commissioners from Thursday [today].
More staff to join protests
All the district employees will stage sit-ins outside the offices of the commissioner and deputy commissioners every day at 11am. Black bands will be tied on the arms and the boycott of the teaching system will continue. Protest banners have also been put up outside all schools and offices.
Read more: Protest forces closure of public schools across Pindi
All the teachers’ organisations, All Pakistan Clerks Association (APCA) and All Government Employees Grand Alliance (AGEGA) have announced that the Lahore sit-in is for an indefinite period. “The sit-in will not end until the notification of acceptance of the three major demands is issued,” they said.
The headmasters association has also announced to participate in the protest sit-in, teaching boycott and strike by fully supporting it. Leaders of teachers’ organisations, Akhian Gul Tahir and Muhammad Shafiq Bhalwalia, have said that the privatisation of government schools should be stopped immediately, the demand for pension and leave encashment should be accepted, then the sit-in would end.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 12th, 2023.