Protesters not representatives of teachers, claims Punjab minister

LAHORE: The ongoing protest by Muttahida Mahaz Asataza Punjab (MMAP) entered the fourth day on Monday with no sign of response from the government other than “everything-is-fine” press conference by Punjab Education Minister Mashhood Ahmed Khan over the issue.
The minister addressed the press conference at School Education Department which was also attended by the representatives of different teacher associations who are not part of the ongoing protest. Secretary Schools Abdul Jabbar Shaheen, Special Secretary Schools Ahmed Ali Kamboh, Additional Secretary Rana Hasan Akhtar, DPI (SE) Mumtaz Hussain Shah, EDO Education Lahore Muhammad Pervaiz Akhtar and other officials were also present on the occasion.
Rana Mashhood said since the Punjab government had accepted almost all demands of schoolteachers in May 6 meeting, the ongoing agitation by, what he termed “so-called” teachers, was uncalled-for. He said the schoolteachers protesting against the Punjab government were not real and elected representative of schoolteachers. He urged media to expose the “so-called” teachers and help the government to achieve its target of brining every child to school under “Parho Punjab-Barho Punjab” initiative.
To a question the minister said the department engaged some teachers’ leaders (those not part of the protest) to hold dialogue with the protesting teachers but to no avail. He claimed one of the teacher leaders, Rana Atta, who went for talks with them on behalf of the government on Sunday, was allegedly manhandled and thrashed by the protestors saying those involved in the incident could never be teachers.
The education minister read out the notification issued after the May 6 meeting and claimed that all the demands of the schoolteachers had been accepted and were being implemented in a phased manner. He said the summary for regularising contract teachers had been moved to the CM for approval, adding 50,000 teachers would benefit from the same. He also said the action taken on the basis of results of Class-5, Class-8 and Class-9 had also been stopped on the demand of teachers’ organisations. He added instructions had been issued to EDOs to complete the promotion process up to Grade 16 by May 31 whereas the promotion process of teachers from Grade 17 to 20 had been completed.
Rana Mashhood said it had also been decided not to involve teachers in non-academic duties. He said that accepting the demands of the teachers, the recommendations regarding authority of PST to Deputy DEO instead of DEO had also been sent to concerned authority. He added the repeater students would not be considered drop out and no action would be taken against the teachers.
The minister claimed that 1,300 teachers had been promoted for their subsequent posting as headmasters and head teachers on vacant posts. He said that instructions have been issued to controlling officers for granting two days casual leave to the teachers in case of emergency. He said a committee headed by DPI has been constituted for up-gradation of PST and EST teachers.