Minister rejects ‘propaganda’ against proposed Education Act

PESHAWAR: Minister for Elementary and Secondary Education Muhammad Atif Khan on Tuesday rejected the ‘propaganda’ against the proposed Education Act and announced to hold consultations on the issue.

Speaking at a press conference at the Peshawar Press Club, he said that the rumours about privatisation of education, amending the service rules for teachers and abolishing pension were false.

“The provincial government rejects the news as false and unfounded,” he added.

He said that some people were spreading rumours to make it an issue and playing politics on it.

The minister said that they had provided a copy of the proposed bill to representatives of teachers. He said the teachers’ representatives have sought time to study the draft-bill, adding the government would address the reservations of teachers about the law.

The minister made it clear that no compromise would be made on the provision of education to children. “All the legal formalities would be completed before tabling the bill in the provincial legislature,” he assured.

Flanked by Provincial Information Minister Shah Farman, he dispelled the impression that the government was trying to privatise the education sector or giving it to anyone on contract.

He urged the protesters and ‘rumormongers’ to first verify a news before offering a comment and avoid making speculations.

Criticising the protesters, he said that such teachers were responsible for the poor standard of education in the province.

He said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was not in favour of indulging of teachers in politics and wanted them to perform duty with devotion and dedication to promote education.

The minister said the government had deducted around Rs19.80 million on account of salaries from the schoolteachers for absence from duty in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, adding the government also distributed Rs160 million as awards among the dutiful and schoolteachers who performed well.