Teachers demand non-vacation status for schools, colleges

Islamabad:Teachers have called on authorities to declare their public schools and colleges in Islamabad non-vacation departments, citing the drastic reduction in summer vacation and continued deployment on official duties during the break as the reasons.

Traditionally treated as employees of a vacation department, teachers are entitled to just 12 days of earned leave annually, as per the leave rules. In contrast, employees of non-vacation government departments accrue 48 days of earned leave per year, calculated at four days per month of duty rendered.

However, teachers argue that this classification no longer reflects reality. “Summer holidays have been curtailed to merely 45–50 days,” said a schoolteacher. “Even during these days, we’re routinely called in for trainings and other administrative tasks.”

Tahir Mahmood, an associate professor at Islamabad Model Postgraduate College H-8, said he didn't avail any summer vacation from 2021 to 2024 due to continuous BS classes and semester delays.

He said despite being on duty year-round, his leave account was not credited with 48 days of earned leave. "This is unjust.” A woman assistant professor shared her concern, saying she has been asked to arrange a ‘Summer Fiesta’ for students during these vacations.

"Although I am on duty, the FDE should grant me 48 days of earned leave—but I know I won’t receive this benefit,” she said. A senior teacher at a federal college said if the education sector was reclassified as a non-vacation department, teachers would be able to accumulate 48 days of earned leave per year, which they could use as needed.

"This would allow them the flexibility to attend to personal or family matters at any time. In contrast, summer vacation is rigid and compulsory, offering no such flexibility,” he said A schoolteacher engaged in official training said educators were sacrificing their summer vacation, but the reward was neither compensation nor accrual of earned leave.

Teachers blame the Federal Directorate of Education, regulator for public schools and colleges in Islamabad, for assigning summer tasks without offering any incentive in the form of earned leave.

“Under the directions of the FDE, school principals call us for duties during the summer on various pretexts, but never credit the earned leave we rightfully deserve,” a teacher lamented. When contacted, Akram Khan Khosa, president of the Federal Government College Teachers Association, urged authorities to acknowledge the situation before taking necessary action.

“At the very least, teachers who are called for training and various assignments during the summer break should be granted 48 days of earned leave, like other non-vacation department employees,” he emphasised.