CHAKWAL: At a time when the Chakwal district administration does not have the funds to clear the arrears of currently employed teachers, higher authorities in Lahore are set to recruit 569 more educators in the Chakwal district.

Officials in the district administration told Dawn that Chakwal is facing a Rs1 billion deficit, and the district administration does not have the funds to clear the arrears of 1,303 educators recruited in April 2012. Four years after they were recruited, these educators have not received their first four months’ salaries.

“The arrears of 1,303 educators stands at Rs80 million, while the total arrears of the education department is Rs450 million,” an official revealed.

“The monthly wages of all the employees in the district is Rs380 million. We are getting Rs350 million, which means every month, the district is facing a Rs30 million deficit,” an official said. The official attributed the financial situation to the 15pc cut to the district’s budget by the Punjab government.

“We are paying employees with funds meant for development work,” the official added.

Despite several letters written to higher ups in Lahore, the necessary funds have not been issued yet.

And while the district administration is unable to clear the arrears of existing educators, the Punjab government is all set to recruit 569 more.

“We have written many letters to the higher authorities, telling them we are not in a position to recruit more educators as we do not have the funds, but our requests have been ignored,” the official said.

A source told Dawn that the Punjab government is set for the forced recruitments due to pressure from foreign donors. “Foreign donors, particularly the United Kingdom, give hefty funds to the educator sector, and their requirement for the provision of funds is that all the missing facilities should be replaced,” the source said.

“To get foreign donations, the Punjab government has to fill vacant posts, which is why the recruitments are being forced despite the unavailability of funds.”

The Punjab government recruited 1,303 teachers in April 2012, who did not start receiving their salaries until September that year. Their salaries from the first four months have not been paid so far.

Chakwal’s educators also turned to provincial ombudsman Javed Mehmood, who found their complaint valid and directed the concerned authorities to clear the arrears, but to not avail.

Mr Mehmood said the non-provision of funds for the payment of salaries was an “injustice to the employees” and “tantamount to maladministration”.

“I’m in dire need of money but I’m being denied my salary,” a teacher said.

Another educator said: “The denial of salary is tantamount to denial of our basic right. We joined this profession in high hopes and determination. We are teachers, but we are used to carry out campaigns for polio and dengue.”

When contacted, District Coordination Officer Mehmood Javed Bhatti said he had arranged Rs50 million, but the funds were not released due to mismanagement by the education department. “Now we do not have funds to clear the arrears of educators, as we are facing a financial crunch,” he admitted.

Published in Dawn, February 6th, 2016