Daily-wagers: Qualified teachers working for ‘pittance’
PHOTO: FILE
Many teachers working as daily-wagers in federal government education institutes in the cantonment areas have been getting a monthly salary of Rs6,750 for several years, despite some being highly qualified.
Some of these teachers have been daily-wagers for the last 25 years, and hold MPhil and PhD degrees.
The teachers claimed that the authorities have failed to implement a court order for their regularisation and they were continually being exploited by the ‘higher-ups’.
The teachers said under the law, daily-wagers and temporary employees are regularised after one to three years of service, and that this rule was being ignored by the authorities in their case.
“This is a murder of justice. We hold MA, MPhil and PhD degrees and what we get is a pittance of Rs6,750 a month,” said one of the female teachers, requesting anonymity.
Basit Iqbal Shaheen, a teacher for 17 years, said even labourers get paid Rs15,000 a month in the country.
Noorin Aziz, another teacher, said schools will open from August 18 and daily-wagers will not be given a full wage as authorities will deduct 18 days from their salaries.
Shaista, a teacher for the last 25 years, said all the daily-wagers were highly qualified, but were never offered permanent jobs.
The teachers have appealed to the chief justice and the prime minister to take notice of their plight.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 16th, 2015.