Discord: Teachers complain of derogatory behaviour of police

Say they are harassed in name of security checks at educational institutes

MINGORA: Teachers in Swat say they are increasingly encountering what they call offensive behaviour of the police, saying law-enforcement officers harass staff while checking security at educational institutes.

“The behaviour of some policemen is very harsh,” government school headmaster Israruddin told The Express Tribune.  “A teacher’s responsibility is to impart education; not to provide security to students.”

He added, “Nonetheless we have followed the orders of the provincial government and implemented the security plan.” According to Israruddin, he has spent Rs180,000 from the school’s fund on security measures yet the police filed an FIR against him.

A teacher Noor Nawaz said their duty is to teach students. He said he found it very bizarre to force educationists to look after the school like watchmen.



Private School Management Association President Ahmad Shah said all schools in Swat had agreed to the security plan and have taken every possible step to ensure the safety of children inside school premises. “Since all teachers have implemented the security plans devised by the provincial government, the police should stop bothering them,” he added.

For the sake of security

Police records suggest over 40 cases have been filed against teachers who have also been presented at court.

“At least 47 FIRs have been registered against headmasters and teachers who have failed to implement the security plan,” said an official in the district police office.

When contacted, DPO Salim Marwat denied the allegations put forth by the teachers. The DPO said the police department in the district is doing its best to implement the security plan and have not resorted to persecuting the teachers.

The DPO reiterated the need for collaboration between teachers and police. “Both educationists and law-enforcing agencies should work in unison to prevent students from facing any untoward situation.”

The security plan was devised in the wake of brutal attack on Army Public School in Peshawar on December
16, 2014.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 13^th, 2015.