Universal enrolment: Teachers’ Union, govt start talks
Union says demands must be met for teachers to participate in the government initiative.
“There is a huge possibility that teachers may boycott the drive and even go on a strike if talks fail next week,” says PTU general secretary. PHOTO: FILE
LAHORE:
The Punjab Teachers Union on Thursday held talks with the School Education Department to end a deadlock after teachers across the province threatened to boycott the enrollment drive in the wake of penalisation of teachers owing to poor results.
This is the first round of talks between the department and the teachers after Emergency Enrollment Campaign was launched by Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on August 14.
The door-to-door enrollment will make use of nearly 30,000 teachers.
The meeting was held between Schools Education Department Additional Secretary General Ahmed Ali Kamboh and officials of the Punjab Teachers Union (PTU) as per an earlier arrangement.
The PTU said that the meeting was held to convey reservations of teachers who had earlier threatened to boycott the enrollment drive.
According to a statement issued by the PTU, a 14-point charter of demands had been presented by the PTU President Chaudhry Sarfaraz to Kamboh.
The demands included complying with the recommendations of the Pay and Pension Commission, medical and rent allowances, restricting additional field duties of teachers and teacher training programmes.
A review of English as the language of instruction was also recommended.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, PTU General Secretary Rana Liaquat Ali said he was hopeful the matter would soon be resolved.
He said the PTU had demanded penalisation of teachers be immediately stopped.
“The additional secretary has assured us he will immediately address our grievances,” he said.
Ali said that the two-day training for the enrollment drive had a low teacher turnout on Thursday.
Meanwhile, PTU officials teachers may boycott the drive if the second round of talks failed.
“There is a huge possibility that teachers may boycott the drive and even go on a strike if talks fail next week,” Ali said.
According to PTU, a meeting with Secretary Schools Abdul Jabbar Shaheen was scheduled for next week.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 16th, 2013.
The Punjab Teachers Union on Thursday held talks with the School Education Department to end a deadlock after teachers across the province threatened to boycott the enrollment drive in the wake of penalisation of teachers owing to poor results.
This is the first round of talks between the department and the teachers after Emergency Enrollment Campaign was launched by Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on August 14.
The door-to-door enrollment will make use of nearly 30,000 teachers.
The meeting was held between Schools Education Department Additional Secretary General Ahmed Ali Kamboh and officials of the Punjab Teachers Union (PTU) as per an earlier arrangement.
The PTU said that the meeting was held to convey reservations of teachers who had earlier threatened to boycott the enrollment drive.
According to a statement issued by the PTU, a 14-point charter of demands had been presented by the PTU President Chaudhry Sarfaraz to Kamboh.
The demands included complying with the recommendations of the Pay and Pension Commission, medical and rent allowances, restricting additional field duties of teachers and teacher training programmes.
A review of English as the language of instruction was also recommended.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, PTU General Secretary Rana Liaquat Ali said he was hopeful the matter would soon be resolved.
He said the PTU had demanded penalisation of teachers be immediately stopped.
“The additional secretary has assured us he will immediately address our grievances,” he said.
Ali said that the two-day training for the enrollment drive had a low teacher turnout on Thursday.
Meanwhile, PTU officials teachers may boycott the drive if the second round of talks failed.
“There is a huge possibility that teachers may boycott the drive and even go on a strike if talks fail next week,” Ali said.
According to PTU, a meeting with Secretary Schools Abdul Jabbar Shaheen was scheduled for next week.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 16th, 2013.