TAXILA: Teachers and other staff deputed to run classes in the afternoon at two government high schools for girls in Hassanabdal have stopped work as they were not paid salaries for the last 18 months.The second shift for 9th and 10th classes was introduced in 2017 to accommodate a maximum number of students due to paucity of classrooms and infrastructure in the schools.

The initiative received an overwhelming response from students and their parents as the enrollment increased. Teachers and supporting staff for the second shift were hired on extra remunerations. But salaries to the teachers and other staff could not be paid.

As a result, three teachers and one watchman appointed for the second shift at the Government Girls High School Hassanabdal city have stopped working. There were around 50 students in the two classes at the school.

Teaching and non-teaching staff were hired about two years ago for second shift classes at two high schools for girls

Similarly, the headmistress and four teachers hired for the second shift at the Government Girls High School Burhan also discontinued work. There were around 100 students in the second shift in the school.

A teacher of the school, who wished not to be named, said the education department had appointed them for the second shift. She said the five-member staff had been imparting education to the students for the last about two years but they were not paid salaries.

“Now we have decided to stop taking classes,” she said.

Shabana Perveen, a 9th class student, said she and 30 other students were enrolled in the school as their parents could not afford sending them to private schools.

Quratul Ain, a class 10th student, said for the last 14 days their studies remained discontinued as the school staff was not attending school.

“We dreamed of a new Pakistan where we could provide quality education to our children. But the future of our children now seems uncertain,” said Jameel Ahmed, a parent.

A number of students called upon the provincial and district education authorities to take stock of the situation and address the financial problem of the concerned teachers so their future should not be at a stake.

When contacted, Deputy District Officer (education) Toqeer Bibi said the education department was making all-out efforts to run the second shift in the schools through the school fund. She said as the second shift had been started under a project, there was no further financial support from the provincial government.

Chief Executive Officer (education) Dr Javaid Awan told Dawn that the teachers were appointed under a World Bank sponsored project to improve female education in rural areas and funds were allocated under the Programme Monitoring and Implementation Unit (PMIU) of the education department.

He said as the funds had exhausted, salaries of the teachers could not be released. But arrangements are being made to disburse the salaries to the teachers from the non-salary budget or school fund until proper funds are arranged, he added.

Mr Awan said the matter had been brought under the notice of the provincial education and revenue departments so that classes in the second shift continued without.

Published in Dawn, February 16th, 2019