June 21, 2008	Saturday	Jamadi-us-Sani 16, 1429

NAWABSHAH, June 20: Salaries of reinstated primary school teachers have not been paid since long making the lives miserable because of severe financial constraints, said an effected teacher.

Narrating the tale he said that he was fed up with the system and officials’ cool response but can’t end life for he has to look after the family. “I requested officials for justice and even approached the court but my remunerations have not been paid leaving me under heavy debt burden,” said Saghir Ali.

He and 61 other primary teachers were appointed in Nawabshah district in 1998, and after serving for couple of months were terminated by the then government on the plea of being appointed illegally and in violation of rules.

The Sindh government in 2005 ordered reinstatement of all teachers sacked in 1998, including 62 of Nawabshah. However, the number of reinstated teachers soared to 90 against 62.

According to Sagheer Ali, he and three other colleagues Naveed Haleem, Mehmoodul Haq, and Mohammad Ayoub were reinstated through an order dated March 7, 2005 and asked to join duties. “We contacted the Education Department as our salaries were not paid after one month and were told to wait.” Teachers kept working and waiting for salaries, they said.

They told Dawn that they met the then Circle Officer of Anti-Corruption Establishment and handed over a written note on his advise when we came to know that some senior officials had made changes in the list of teachers sacked in 1998 along with few additions. As no action was taken, we later filed a constitutional petition in the Sindh High Court Karachi which later was transferred to Hyderabad. “We were asked to submit names with correct spellings but nothing happened and no hearing took place in the last one year,” they said.

“We are teaching since 2005 and have attended training of the PITE and the NCHD along with performing election duties”, they said.

The then SDO Education Abdul Qayoom Khanzada on whose signatures teachers were appointed in 1998 told Dawn that these four teachers were genuine and sacked, adding that all had to suffer because of the addition of new names in 2005 list by the Education Department officials.

EDO Education Razi Khan Jamali told Dawn that as the teachers had approached court, therefore, he was unable to do anything. He said that he was also not aware of the exact number of appointed teachers but would take up the matter to high-ups for the release of their salaries.