School’s out: Sindh’s teachers threaten two-day boycott

The Govt Schools Teachers Association gave the warning in response to new appointment rules

HYDERABAD:

The Government Schools Teachers Association (GSTA) of Sindh has announced a two-day boycott of classes and threatened a protest movement in response to the new rules of appointment introduced by the provincial education department.

"If the Sindh government does not withdraw the new regulations by October 22, we will boycott classes across the province on October 24 and 25," warned GSTA Sindh president Haji Muhammad Ashraf Khaskheli at a press conference at Hyderabad Press Club on Thursday. The teaching community fears losing out on prospects of promotion due to these appointment rules.

"Bureaucrats don't possess the skills necessary to manage the education department," said Khaskheli, arguing that the new system would adversely affect the department.

Copies of the new rules, introduced through a letter issued by the Services, General Administration and Coordination department on October 10, were distributed at the press conference. Khaskheli claimed that the rules had been issued on the recommendation of the World Bank, which has lent Rs4 billion to the department, despite education minister Nisar Khuhro's disapproval.



"Even the education minister acknowledges the adverse consequences of such rules," said Khaskheli, referring to a letter issued by Khuhro on August 15, a copy of which was also shared with the media. GSTA leaders Iqbal Ahmed Panhwar, Sadaqat Ali Channa and Niaz Hussain were also present at the press conference.

The rules

According to the notification, 50 per cent of the BPS-20 Director of School Education and BPA-19 District Education Officer posts will be filled through transferring cadre officers appointed through the provincial and federal service commissions as well as the secretariat group. The remaining 50 per cent of the slots will be open to department employees on the basis of seniority.

Similarly, 20 per cent of the BPS-18 Deputy District Education Officer posts will be filled through appointment from the cadre officers, and 80 per cent from the department employees. Half of the vacancies of BPS-17 taluka education officer and BPS-17 assistant education officer will also be distributed among the departmental staff and appointments through the Sindh Public Service Commission (SPSC).

These posts fall under the School Executive Service group. Meanwhile, in the School Management Service group, 80 per cent of the BPS-17 school headmasters and headmistresses will be appointed through SPSC examinations and 20 per cent through promotions. Furthermore, 75 per cent of the BPS-17 Assistant Director Finance and Audit posts, which belong to the School Finance Service Group, will also be filled through the SPSC, and only 25 per cent through promotions.

While GSTA representatives claimed that the denial of promotions to administrative positions would harm the career prospects of teachers, they were also equally concerned about changes in similar appointments for the teaching posts. The new procedure denies promotions for the positions of BPS-17 subject specialist, BPS-16 secondary school teacher, BPS-15 early childhood teacher, and limits promotions to 75 per cent of BPS-16 elementary school teacher posts and 25 per cent of BPS-14 junior school teacher posts.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 18^th, 2014.