In desperation, unpaid teachers turn to court
Staff of various govt schools hasn't received salary for more than a year.
The auditor-general’s office has stopped payment of their salaries without providing any reason. PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE
KARACHI:
The Sindh High Court (SHC) has sought comments from the provincial secretary of the education department and the auditor-general as to why the staff of various government schools in the city have not been paid their salaries since January 2013.
A teacher, Sajida, along with dozens of her colleagues, approached the high court against the alleged non-payment of their monthly salaries for more than a year.
The lawyer representing the petitioners, Altaf Hussain, maintained that his clients have been performing their duties to the satisfaction of the higher authorities. However, the auditor general's office has stopped payment of their salaries without providing any reason, he alleged.
Even a summary from education department officials that asked the auditor general to pay the petitioners has not been considered.
"Since January 2013, the staff has not received a single penny of their monthly salaries," Hussain told The Express Tribune outside the courtroom. "The payments have been stopped at the directives of the incumbent secretary education."
In their plea, the petitioners pleaded to the court to direct the chief secretary, the education secretary and the auditor-general to release the salaries.
The bench, after hearing the initial arguments, issued a notice to the respondents to file their comments before the next date of hearing - which will be announced later.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 9th, 2014.
The Sindh High Court (SHC) has sought comments from the provincial secretary of the education department and the auditor-general as to why the staff of various government schools in the city have not been paid their salaries since January 2013.
A teacher, Sajida, along with dozens of her colleagues, approached the high court against the alleged non-payment of their monthly salaries for more than a year.
The lawyer representing the petitioners, Altaf Hussain, maintained that his clients have been performing their duties to the satisfaction of the higher authorities. However, the auditor general's office has stopped payment of their salaries without providing any reason, he alleged.
Even a summary from education department officials that asked the auditor general to pay the petitioners has not been considered.
"Since January 2013, the staff has not received a single penny of their monthly salaries," Hussain told The Express Tribune outside the courtroom. "The payments have been stopped at the directives of the incumbent secretary education."
In their plea, the petitioners pleaded to the court to direct the chief secretary, the education secretary and the auditor-general to release the salaries.
The bench, after hearing the initial arguments, issued a notice to the respondents to file their comments before the next date of hearing - which will be announced later.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 9th, 2014.