‘Unreasonable move’: Government order dampens teachers’ Eid festivities

Teachers decry move to run dengue-awareness stalls during holidays .

RAWALPINDI:

In a move that will likely dampen the upcoming holiday for some, the Punjab government has decided to continue running the dengue awareness stalls set up in various colleges across the province during the Eid holidays.

Relevant authorities have issued a letter in this regard to educational institutions and have directed them to make the required arrangements.

A lecturer of a government college, on the condition of anonymity, confirmed to The Express Tribune that a letter has been issued by the education department asking institutions to man the awareness stalls over the holidays.

The clerical staff has been asked to be present in colleges on alternative days while the helping staff is to be present at the colleges on Eid and the days after it, he added.

“One teacher will have to supervise the stalls daily and directions have been forwarded to the principals of those colleges,” the lecturer stated.

“Why is the Punjab government testing our patience,” he questioned, adding that carrying out the dengue awareness campaign was not the job of the education department or teachers but is the primary responsibility of the health department.

“Why are teachers being used in this campaign. Don’t we have a right to enjoy the holidays with our children,” he questioned.

The official said the government had taken a similar step last year compelling the education staff to be present in colleges even during the Eid holidays.

This year however, the orders are stricter for clerical staff and sweepers who have to attend the school at any cost. The principal of the colleges will also have to be present in the college for overseeing the stalls.

A lecturer at the Government Post Graduate Asghar Mall College Rawalpindi and Teachers Unity Forum Pakistan President Ghulaaam Muttaza said teachers are forced to participate in dengue awareness seminars and walks every Sunday.

He maintained that this was a violation of their fundamental rights. “Why we are forced to attend the seminars on holidays. This is unacceptable.”

Speaking on the subject, Punjab Professors Lectures Association (PPLA) General Secretary Tanveer Ahmad Shah said they had conveyed their grievances to the higher education secretary.

“We have decided to meet other officials of the education department in this regard,” he questioned.

Earlier, teachers of government schools also registered their protest with the Rawalpindi district coordination officer (DCO). Punjab Teachers Union Rawalpindi President Raja Shahid Mubarik informed that they had raised the issue with the DCO in the meeting, saying “He (DCO) supported our arguments and promised to mitigate our problems”.

In contrast, Rawalpindi Director Colleges Professor Humayun Iqbal stated that only some of the staff—mostly Christians—were asked to come to the colleges and that too for a few hours only.

“This is necessary because there is already increasing threat of dengue and we had been asked by the high-ups to contribute in order to eradicate the disease completely,” he said, adding that committees had been formed to supervise the activity during the Eid holidays.

He added that however, it was not a compulsion for supervisors to come to school and instead they could get a report over the phone.

According to a letter sent to colleges by the Rawalpindi Division education director, cleanliness of campuses will be completed on October 5, stalls readied on October 6, banners displayed on October 7, stagnant water removed on October 8 and spraying in the colleges will be carried out on October 9. In addition, it is also directed that clerical staff will remain present on alternative days and the dengue in-charge of the college will visit the campus daily and submit reports.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 1^st, 2014.