RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi education department has failed to promote 500 teachers in accordance with the chief minister package.

According to the package being implemented since 2007, primary teachers working in grade 9 would be promoted to grade 12 and 14 on seniority basis and all grade 14 elementary teachers would be upgraded to grade 16.

Under the rules, for the year 2013 the education department was bound to notify the promotions by December 31.

On January 29, the Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) approved the promotions but the education department could not notify the committee’s decision.

As a result, besides the 500 teachers, 90 male and female teachers in grade 14 have also been waiting for the issuance of a notification for their promotion to grade 16.

The teachers feared that any further delay in their promotion would deprive them of their annual increment as they cannot get it without completing their six months mandatory service in the next grade.

“Bureaucracy is using delaying tactics in issuing notifications. I don’t know why the EDO office has been sitting on the files for the last four months,” said Azmat Israil, an office-bearer of the Punjab Teacher Union, Rawalpindi chapter.

The union, in its meeting on Monday, termed the relocation policy victimisation against teachers.

The union representatives said they were not against the policy but the education department was ignoring merit and rules in its implementation.

Despite repeated attempts, the executive district officer (education) could not be contacted for comments.