Teachers’ strike enters second day,reps to meet minister today

Islamabad

Academic and administrative activities at model colleges remained suspended for the second consecutive day on Wednesday due to the strike of teachers and other staff members over the failure of the Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) and Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) to resolve their issues, especially denial of promotion despite repeated requests.

The staff members remained at workplace but didn’t do duty, while students spent time playing in grounds or chitchatting in canteens.

The strikers demanded up gradation of teaching and non-teaching staff, regular/time-scale promotions, revision of the existing promotion formulas, creation/re-designation of the posts, provision of monetisation allowance to employees of BPS-20 and above in line with the government policy, posting and transfer of principals, headmistress, administration officers and accountants on merit/seniority basis, timely release of salary to daily-wagers and permanent resolution of their problems, placement of the already-regularised employees in line with the directives of high court and CADD secretary, and establishment of separate directorate for Islamabad’s model colleges.

They warned the strike would continue until their demands were met.

The CADD regulates all government educational institutions in Islamabad Capital Territory through the FDE.

Also in the day, members of the Joint Action Committee of the model colleges’ employees associations, which had given the strike’s call, met CADD additional secretary Zafar Nasrullah in his office and informed him about their demands.

After preliminary discussion, the additional secretary told visitors that some of the issues highlighted were to be addressed at the highest level, so he would arrange their meeting State Minister for CADD Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry today (Thursday) for the purpose.

The JAC leaders said the meeting was held in a very cordial atmosphere and that they hoped for the best.

They however, said teaching and non-teaching staff members of model colleges would resume work only after their demands were accepted.

The JAC leader appreciated employees of model colleges for showing unity to claim rights by boycotting duty for the second consecutive day.