Minister restores status, salary of daily-wage teachers

Islamabad:Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Madad Ali Sindhi on Monday announced the restoration of the status of daily-wage teachers working under the Federal Directorate of Education. He also ordered the immediate release of the withheld salaries of those temps working in Islamabad's educational institutions for years.

The development came during a meeting between the representatives of daily-wage teachers and the minister here. The minister expressed his commitment to resolving all issues of the visitors.

"I'm determined to find early yet effective solutions to the challenges facing you and your community," he told teachers. One of the issues raised by the delegation was the withholding of their salaries and payments.

The visitors said they and other daily-wage teachers of Islamabad's government schools and colleges had been grappling with financial difficulties due to a long delay in the release of payments. Responding promptly to their request, the minister ordered the immediate release of all withheld salaries to them. He also asked officials to ensure that the salaries of daily wage teachers should be in line with the government's revised minimum wage policy.

The minister said he was committed to ensuring fair payments to educators across the country. Fahad Mairaj, a daily wage teacher and representative of the delegation, thanked the minister over the orders, which, he said, will help address the misery of temp teachers amid uncertain future and serious financial issues. "We [daily wagers] are immensely thankful to Minister Madad Ali Sindhi for his understanding of and support to our demands. This decision of restoring our status and salary will help ease our and our families' suffering," he said. Late last month, the Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training had directed the education ministry and FDE to reinstate more than 500 daily wage teachers, who were abruptly laid off.