May 11, 2007	Friday	Rabi-us-Sani 23, 1428

RAWALPINDI, May 10: Teachers have threatened to boycott the forthcoming primary and middle standard examinations in the district if their longstanding demands were not met in recent future.

This was decided in a protest meeting of the United Front of Teachers, Rawalpindi chapter, held at the Government Islamia Higher Secondary School No. 1, Murree Road, on Thursday.

A large number of teachers from all towns of the district participated in the meeting, a press release issued here said.

The teachers’ union also decided to hold a protest demonstration in front of the Rawalpindi Press Club on May 14. The demonstration will be arranged to underline their demands of teaching allowance, confirmation of contract educators, hill allowance, selection grades, time scale promotion and revival of the co-curricular activities in all schools.

They also criticised monitoring by retired army officers who often misbehaved with them, and sought immediate abolition of this system.

The teachers’ community also demanded a halt to the process of privatisation of schools and colleges and frequent changes made to the examination and academic sessions. They resolved to continue with their struggle till their demands are met.

Online adds: Army teams would monitor primary and middle standard examinations starting from May 16.

The district education department has handed over the responsibility of monitoring to retired army officials who would pay surprise visits to the examination centres.

Meanwhile, Punjab Teachers Union Senior Vice-President Chaudhry Saghir Alam said the supervising staff of the education department was sufficient to carry out the task.