Dream comes true: Over 200 contractual teachers regularised

214 teachers had been working in grade-17, 22 in grade-16.

ISLAMABAD:

The woes of contractual teachers has finally ended with the approval of their longstanding demand for regularisation of their job.

According to a notification issued by the Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) on October 26, services of 236 teachers performing duties in different schools and colleges of the federal capital have been regularised, sources in the CADD told The Express Tribune on Friday.

According to the notification, of the total of 236 teachers, 214 have been working in grade-17 and 22 in grade-16.

These teachers were appointed in different institutes of the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) during 1999 and 2009.

The contractual teachers had been raising their voice over the issue since 1999, through protest demonstrations, rallies and boycott of classes.

A ray of hope emerged when Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani announced a special package on the occasion of World Teachers Day to address their concerns. The teachers were promised upgradation, implementation of time-scale formula and regularisation of service.

But, as an official put it, the criteria defined by CADD hindered the implementation of this package. One year after not much progress had been made on the issue and the resolute teachers had come out on the roads again. On October 6 this year, they observed World Teachers Day as “black day” for not regularising their service and non-payment of their salaries.

A group of teachers, on the condition of anonymity, blamed Joint Education Adviser Rafiq Tahir for creating hurdles in the implementation of the Prime Minister’s package. “He even threatened some principals and teachers of the federal government colleges against participating in the protest,” said a teacher.

FDE Director General Atif Mehmood Kayani confirmed the development, saying that they (teachers) deserved it. However, he said that teachers with less than one year of experience would not be able to avail this opportunity.

“We will prefer the seniors and are already in touch with the principals of colleges to check their status,’’ he added.

On the delay which was allegedly caused by certain criteria laid down by the CADD for upgradation, he said that we have to follow the rules. He said that the FDE has already moved the summary of creation of course in which new posts were demanded.

However, Federal Government Teachers Association President Azhar Mehmood expressed his satisfaction over the new development and termed its as a big achievement. “Hundreds of teachers had to toil really hard to get their rights. We are finally successful,”’ Azhar said.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 29^th, 2011.