ISLAMABAD, Nov 18: Monetisation is an ongoing issue regarding teachers and keeps coming up in the local press.

Monetisation basically means that teachers who have been promoted to Basic Pay Scale (BPS) 20 or above should either have access to an official car or if not a car, then get a bonus in their salary. Presently they are being denied both. Around 180 teachers, who have been promoted in Basic Pay Scale (BPS) 20 and above, have been deprived of their right of monetisation, Dawn has learnt.

A teacher of H-9 College requesting not to be identified said that in the recent past, bureaucrats drafted a proposal and got it approved from the former Prime Minister (Yousuf Raza Gilani). The proposal allowed every officer in grade 20 and above to get monetisation: if the officer doesn’t use official transport, he or she should get money, amounting to Rs6,5960 to Rs9,5910 per month, depending on the grade.

“The prime minister promised the teachers to upgrade their neglected pay structure. After a long struggle, extending many years, the teachers came out on the streets and their agitation compelled the government to enforce the time scale formula for teachers effective from January 2011,” he said.

“On the basis of the time scale formula, a large number of teachers in different grades have been promoted. Among the whole lot, the promoted Associate Professors in BPS-20 are eligible to avail monetised transport facility, according to the cabinet secretariat letter No.6/7/2011-CPC dated 12/12/2011,” he said.

Still Associate Professors promoted to grade 20 are deprived of the monetisation benefit. The Ministry of Capital Administration and Development (CAD) is silent regarding monetisation benefits to teachers. Teachers in grade 20 are still required to produce a certificate from Secretary CAD that they are not using government vehicles, he said.

Another teacher said that they (teachers) have sent written request to the Secretary for the said certificate but have not received an answer. Actually this policy was made to benefit the bureaucrats but the policy makers did not know that suddenly a lot of teachers will come into this bracket, he added.

“PAC Chairman Nadeem Afzal Chan raised the issue of dual benefits that top bureaucrats are enjoying; using public transport and drawing heavy amount in terms of monetisation but teachers have been ignored,” he said.

A teacher said that teachers in Pakistan are always in search of a respectful life as they are deprived of a financially secure life.

Most of them live in rented houses, in one street of the city or the other, like Mumtaz Mufti, who was a famous literary figure.

Professor Tahir Mahmood, the spokesperson of the Federal Government College Teachers Association demanded that Associate Professors promoted to grade 20 and above without delay should be handed over monetisation benefits. Justice delayed is justice denied, he added.

Secretary CAD Rifat Shaheen Qazi while talking to Dawn said: “So far letters sent by teachers have not reached my table. I will inquire about the issue on Monday and will resolve it”.