Two KP teachers suspended for seeking information

ISLAMABAD: The education department of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has suspended two primary school teachers after they tried to seek information about their seniority under KPK Right to Information (RTI) Act 2013.
According to a notification issued by the district education officer (DEO) Nowshera, a copy of which is available with The News, two school teachers Ijaz Ur Rahman and Mudassir Shah were suspended for violating government rules.
“Keeping in view the provision of West Pakistan Government Servants (Conduct) Rules 1966 No SINo-13 states that no government servant shall issue any statement or any letter to the press except with a prior sanction of Government or any authority empowered by it in this behalf the following primary school teachers are hereby suspended with immediate effect because they have violated policy/rules as mentioned above,” says the notification signed by DEO Muhammad Inam Toru.
But the suspended teacher Ijaz Ur Rahman claims that he is being victimised for filing an information request on November 5, 2014 with DEO seeking information about teachers’ seniority list and PTC fund. “After failing to receive response to my information request within 14 days, I filed a complaint with KPK Information Commission under the law on 26th November but instead of getting the information I was called up in the office of DEO and threatened with dire consequences for complaining against senior officers,” Ijaz told The News.
He said initially he was transferred to a far-flung area on 8 November but on March 4, 2015 he was suspended from the job on false charges.When contacted, the Sub Divisional Education Officer (SDEO) Nowshera Abdul Samad confirmed the suspension of two teachers. He said the information sought by the teachers under RTI law was already displayed on notice boards of some circle offices so their information requests were not entertained.
“We do not provide that information. We do not have time to entertain such request as we are working on war footings to improve education,” Abdul Samad said.He, however, said that the suspension of teachers is not linked with RTI requests.
“They have been suspended for issuing statement to the press,” he said.When contacted by The News, Chief Information Commissioner of KPK Sahibzada Muhammad Khalid said he was aware of the suspension of teachers for their RTI requests.
“I will not tolerate victimisation of those who seek information under RTI law. I will make sure that justice prevails,” he said adding that RTI Act 2013 had overriding effects on other government laws.Sahibzada Khalid said RTI law has brought a silent revolution and he will make sure that general public reaps its fruits.