MURREE: The future of more than 400 female students is on stake as five out of a total nine female teachers of Government Degree College Dhaka in Murree have not been paid their salaries since a year and a half, Dawn has learnt. The fault allegedly lies with the provincial government and the red-tape of education department.

The situation is hampering education activities in the college and also causing a concern for the staff members who are now uncertain about their future.

These teachers were appointed to run the college three years ago through the College Teaching Interns (CTI) Programme on contractual basis for one year by the provincial government.

Speaking to Dawn, the unpaid staff members said that they were assured by the former provincial minister for labour and manpower, Raja Ashfaq Sarwar, that their services will be regularised, adding that they were also promised regular payments owing to the “fine services”.

Later, the local leader of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) and former nazim of the Phagwari union council, Haq Nawaz Abbasi, also assured them of a raise in their salaries on behalf of Raja Ashfaq Sarwar.

One of the teachers told Dawn that Member of National Assembly Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had allegedly opposed the opening of this college. She further informed that Mr Abbasi had mocked the staff during a meeting held after the inauguration ceremony of the college, adding that he took their sufferings casually and advised the teachers to seek permanent jobs elsewhere claiming that the college had no future.

“I have been serving the college as a goodwill gesture, my future seems uncertain due to the prevailing situation and I cannot fulfill my duties with full dedication if I am not paid my salary,” said another staff member, fearing that despite her three-year services for the college, the provincial government can send her packing at any time.

It is worth mentioning that the Government Degree College Dhaka was set up by the former Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi in 2004, to promote education in the area. It is the only college in the rural area of the hill station that is catering to more than 200,000 people of Murree and adjoining areas. However, the college has been functioning without basic facilities since its inauguration.

The college administration has claimed that the provision of basic facilities is still an uphill battle, despite lodging several complaints to the concerned authorities.

When contacted, principal of the college Ms Nighat Ehsan said that she had written to the concerned high ups several times regarding the issues of the unpaid teachers. But since a large number of teachers in Punjab are facing the same issue, it will be resolved at the provincial level for all the teachers.

She said that she was assured by secretary planning of Punjab government that the issue of salaries will be settled in the upcoming budget.

Humayun Iqbal, director colleges, told Dawn that the said teachers were inducted on a temporary basis and are paid a lump sum salary once a year. He assured that arrangements have been made and hopefully the teachers will get their salaries soon.

Published in Dawn, June 7th, 2014