An issue of salaries: Govt turns to ‘harassment’ to stop teachers

Strike for implementation of time-scale formula and up-gradation package enters 24th day.

ISLAMABAD:

After failing to address the matter by hook, the authorities are now awakening the ‘crook’ within them, to restore calm in the education sector of the capital.

The officials of the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) have started harassing the principals of the government schools and colleges associated with the FDE, asking them to stop their teachers from taking part in the ongoing protests.

(Read: PM’s package for teachers - Almost a year on, struggle for implementation continues)

The teachers on the other hand, continue to demand implementation of the time-scale formula and up gradation package. “The authorities did try to convince us to stop the protests without actually offering anything tangible but we will not give up so easily,” said a teacher. The teachers have been protesting for the past three weeks now.

A group of teachers on the condition of anonymity said that the senior officials of the Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD), particularly Joint Secretary Rafiq Tahir, were threatening some principals and teachers of the federal government colleges against participating in the ongoing protests.

Tahir said that he is in Quetta and has learnt that the file pertaining to the teachers’ package would be approved shortly by the finance division. When asked about harassing the principals, he said, “There is no reason of harassing anyone. The teachers are protesting for their rights.”

The officials have also reportedly verbally directed some principals from disallowing their teachers from taking part in the protest; according to sources, some principals are even following these orders. The heads of the women colleges, including FG Girls College F-10/4 and Post Graduate Girls College F-7/2, are reluctant to allow their teachers to participate in the protest and are urging them to take classes regularly.

It was also learnt that on the directives of the high-ups, the principal of the F-10/4 College even handed over a written complaint to the Federal Directorate of Education that the teachers were not complying with her instructions.

The show must go on

Meanwhile, the teachers continued their protest for the 24th consecutive day on Thursday and gathered in front of Margalla College F-7/4 and blocked the road. They chanted slogans against the CADD and its officials. The teachers vowed that their protest would continue as long as the up-gradation package is not implemented. They added that CADD Division’s Joint Secretary Rafiq Tahir is misguiding the higher authorities and creating hurdles in the implementation process.

It’s the students’ loss

Students have been affected the most in this tussle between the teachers and the government. They return home each day for the last three weeks without attending classes, while the school and college administration remain confused about how to tackle the situation. The students spend most of their time sitting idle at canteens or kill their time by playing games.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 14^th, 2011.