Teaching and non-teaching staff of model and federal government colleges protesting for regularisation. PHOTO: Express/Zafar Aslam.
ISLAMABAD:
After almost a whole day of protesting on Tuesday, teaching and non-teaching staff of model and federal government colleges got some respite as the Capital Administration and Development (CAD) secretary accepted some their demands while promised action on others.
Their quest to get regularised and have other demands approved took a new turn on February 2, after the Central Academic Staff Association (CASA) of Islamabad model colleges started protesting in a few colleges, beginning with Islamabad Model College for Boys F-8/4. Though initially disorganised, they took out a mass protest and later a sit-in on Tuesday, which ended with “concrete recommendations” being made.
Oddly, non-teaching staff remained at a distance from teaching staff during the entire course of the protests. They had been observing a sit-in at the National Press Club for the last few days and did not mix with the teaching staff.
Non-teaching staff started their march towards Jinnah Avenue and staged a protest a few yards from the State Life building.
Non-Teaching Welfare Association President Sardar Sidique and other members of the association addressed over 200 staffers assembled. Sidique said the reason for not joining hands with CASA was that their manpower was “hijacked” in 2011 when they protested in front of parliament, with teaching staff getting most of their demands accepted and non-teaching staff getting short-changed.
On the other hand, CASA President Aftab Tariq, teachers and clerks addressed a gathering of over 400 members including female staffers. They also moved towards Jinnah Avenue and staged sit-in a few yards away from the non-teaching staff.
After a few hours, CAD Spokesperson Rafique Tahir and Advisor to the Minister for CAD Atif Kayani arrived and left with a four-member delegation from both sides to negotiate with CAD Secretary Dr Riffat Shaheen Qazi.
The CASA president told The Express Tribune that the dialogue was fruitful. On monetisation, “It was decided that a Non-Objection Certificate (NOC) will be immediately issued to all teachers who fulfill the criterion.”
On regularisation, Qazi said she will go in person to the Finance Division and solve the issue.
She told The Express Tribune that hiring allowances would be issued to all who were eligible by 2012.
Non-teaching employees from BPS-1 to 15 have also been demanding upgradation of their scales like the teaching community. The CAD secretary said she would send a summary on Wednesday to expedite the process.
Regularisation of daily-wage employees, Establishment Division approval of employee appointments from 2009 to 2011, and payment of salaries to 40 sanitation staffers whose pay has been withheld, were among the major demands of the protesting employees.
However, CASA’s demand for separation from the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) will be taken up later, Qazi said.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 13th, 2013.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ