KHAR: The teachers of Basic Education Community Schools Project in Bajaur Agency have expressed concern over non-payment of their salaries for the last several months.

Talking to journalists here on Monday, All Bajaur Basic Community Schools Teachers Association president Mohammad Jan and general secretary Mian Ikramullah said that the Basic Education Community Schools Project, a scheme of the federal government’s National Education Department, which ran 70 single-room schools in the agency, was imparting free education from Montessori to grade 5.

They said that 180 teachers, five women among them, had been serving in those schools in the agency since 2004.

They said that they were committed to their duty but they never got their salaries on time. “We are committed to our job but long delays in payment of our salaries have badly disappointed us. We face financial problems because we are dependent on salary,” they added.

Warn of closing the schools at the end of current month

The president of the association said they were not paid their salaries during the last six months but the officials concerned were least bothered about the issue. He said that they brought the issue into the notice of officials several times, but in vain.

Mr Jan said that the salaries of teachers of basic education community schools in the agency were not increased.

The government was still paying only Rs5,000 as monthly salary to the teaching staff of basic education community schools in the region, he added.

“We are very disappointed with the attitude and behaviour of government and officials of Basic Education Community Schools Project.

The incumbent government has announced that minimum wage of an employ will be Rs11,000 but unfortunately the teachers of community schools still get only Rs5,000,” he added.

The leaders of the association appealed to the prime minister, federal minster for finance and officials of the relevant department to take notice of the matter and ensure increase in the salaries of teachers of basic community schools in the tribal areas.

They also requested the prime minister and high-ups of the project to take notice of non-payment of their salaries and ensure corrective measures in that regard.

The leaders of association said that they would be left no option but to close the schools as a protest if their demands were not met before end of the current month.

Published in Dawn, January 13th, 2015

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