QUETTA: Services of another seven government schoolteachers have been suspended in Quetta during a campaign launched by the Education Depart­ment against absentee teachers.

Officials in the Educa­tion Department told Dawn on Friday that thousands of teachers had been reported absent from their duty over the past several years, but they were drawing their salary regularly.

They said most teachers had affiliation with political parties and that was the reason that campaigns in the past failed to make them attend their duties regularly.

Some teachers were even members of central executive committees of political parties, they added.

On instructions of Adviser to Chief Minister on Education Sardar Raza Mohammad Baraich, Secretary Education Abdul Sabboor Kakar recently paid a surprise visit to Sandeman High School and found that the headmaster and six teachers were absent from their duty.

The secretary issued directives to suspend services of these seven persons.

Mr Kakar had earlier also placed under suspension some teachers during similar visits to different schools. In a report, he mentioned large-scale misappropriation in accounts of some schools.

Talking to media personnel, Mr Baraich said he himself faced political pressure for favourable postings and transfers. “When the Education Department launches a campaign against absentee teachers they use political pressure to influence officials,” he added.

He said a majority of teachers did not have professional capability to teach and they had poor understanding of their subjects.

Published in Dawn, November 22th, 2014