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Friday March 29, 2024

Daily wage teachers being paid only Rs6,000 per month

RawalpindiOne may believe it or not but it is true that the services of over 1,237 highly-qualified teachers serving in the federal government institutions, cantonment and garrison, have not been regularised in 20 years and they are being paid monthly salaries of Rs6,000 only.Details of their plight can cause a

By Saeed Ahmed
March 25, 2015
Rawalpindi
One may believe it or not but it is true that the services of over 1,237 highly-qualified teachers serving in the federal government institutions, cantonment and garrison, have not been regularised in 20 years and they are being paid monthly salaries of Rs6,000 only.
Details of their plight can cause a shiver down one’s spine; a sense of bewilderment and amazement that these teachers despite being highly-qualified are not even paid salaries equal to that of a peon.
A good number of the teachers, while talking to this scribe on condition of anonymity, said that they joined the federal government schools, cantonment and garrison, in different parts of the country some twenty years back. According to them, since then, they are receiving very low salaries. Besides this, they are working on honorary and daily wage basis.
According to the teachers, their educational qualifications are MSc, MA, MPhil, MEd, BA, BSc and BEd, but they were only getting Rs6,000 salary. They claimed that though in other government educational institutions, the services of teachers are regularised, however, despite the orders of the court, they have not being regularised.
They also revealed that during the term of the PPP government, Syed Khursheed Shah had issued directions for regularisation of their services, which till date has not materialised.
They claimed that induction of teachers is being made in educational institutions every year and the process of their regularisation is also continuing, however, they are facing stepmother’s treatment.
They made a strong appeal to the government and other concerned authorities for taking their issue seriously and announce the regularisation of their services and payment of salaries in accordance with the pay scales of government.
While commenting over the allegations levelled by the teachers, Head-Incharge of Federal Government Educational Institutions (Cantonment and Garrison) Brigadier Khush Muhammad Khan said that there is a system to induct teachers in service in the federal government institutions, which is purely on merit basis. “Laws and rules are followed while inducting teachers. The affected teachers were appointed on honorary and daily wage basis,” he added.
For regularisation of their services, he said, the teachers approached the court and at that time FGEI had supported them in their demands. As a result, the court formed a committee, which prepared a list of 1,237 teachers. “The list was forwarded to Syed Khursheed Shah for their regularisation. However, in the meantime, the government changed. Now again, another committee has been formed, and a fresh list has been submitted to the government for approval. Now it is up to the government to decide the matter, which would be implemented accordingly,” he added.
When asked about the meagre salary of Rs6,000 paid to these teachers, Brigadier Khush Muhammad said that they were appointed on honorary basis and not on vacant posts. He elaborated that whenever permanent teachers avail leave, then the services of these honorary teachers are sought to fill the vacuum on temporary basis. Whenever a teacher is appointed on honorary basis then the management pays them stipend. The honorary teachers are not paid salaries according to government pay scales, he concluded.