College teachers may opt for pen-down strike

Islamabad : The teachers of Federal Government Colleges claim that the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) has failed to address the issues of Federal Government colleges, their faculty, and their students.

Besides deciding to continue wearing black ribbons while attending duties, they also warned that they would go for pen-down strike to get their demands met by authorities. The college teachers are demanding a separate higher education set up on the pattern of provinces, immediate appointment of a separate director for F.G colleges, elimination of victimization of female teachers, revision of 4-tier formula, restoration of Associate

Degree and BS programs of colleges, higher time scale. Ms Anum Kaleem, joint secretary of Federal Government College Teachers Association (FGCTA) informed that it was unanimously agreed in the central body meeting that the neglect of genuine issues of the college teachers by the authorities clearly shows its apathy towards F.G colleges.

She demanded an appointment of a separate director for F.G. colleges until such a time the higher education department is established under administrative control of the ministry. She said that in the past, Director colleges and Director General were appointed from F.G colleges and the system functioned smoothly. "Now, F.G. colleges are facing the inappropriate and anti-education policies due to absence of F.G colleges director," she said.

Dr Nazir Ahmed Bhutta General secretary of Federal Government College Teachers Association (FGCTA) said the representative body of the college teachers repeatedly presented the issues of the F.G colleges and their teachers to the FDE authorities, but it did not take any positive action seriously to resolve their issues, and instead the issues grew worse.

Professor Farhan Azam, Senior Vice President of FGCTA said under the directions of FDE various Associate Degree Programs (ADP) and BS programs of Federal government colleges were discontinued, teachers were transferred in the middle of academic session. "We were left with no option but to approach the secretary, the Ministry of Federal Education & Professional Training. We finally turned to the ministry and demanded a separate higher education department under the administrative control of the ministry. When we staged a protest in front of the National Press club in favour of our demands on December 14, the FDE served teachers with baseless explanation letters,” he said.

Dr Rahima Rehman, president of FGCTA said a few officers at FDE formulated policies without consulting the educationists and heads of educational institutions.

“My Way or the Highway” approach of the authorities at FDE is damaging the educational institutions. When we voice for our rights, we have to face victimization. Female teachers are more vulnerable to being victimized by FDE authorities. Female teachers are left at the mercy of discriminatory will of the authorities of the FDE," she said. The FGCTA president said authorities were using different tactics to punish the teachers of F.G colleges for their resistance. She said victimisation by the FDE had far-reaching effects on the teachers' morale and functioning of educational institutions.