KARACHI: The protesting schoolteachers on Friday called off their campaign following “successful” negotiations with Sindh Education Minister Syed Sardar Shah.

The minister and education secretary signed an agreement with two representatives of the Government Secondary Teachers Association (GSTA) in which nine of the latter’s demands were accepted.

An order by the Sindh government said that with the approval of the Sindh chief minister, award of higher grade had been approved on the basis of time scale of BPS-20 to high school teachers (HSTs) or equivalent grade of school education and literacy department on completion of five years in BPS-19 for the purpose of pay and regular allowances only with effect from July 1, 2019.

Murad irked by use of force against protesting teachers

The negotiations between GSTA representatives, the minister and other senior officials came a day after the teachers were manhandled and tear gassed by the police when they tried to march towards the CM House.

According to the agreement, a committee headed by the school education secretary with representatives of teachers’ bodies would look into the demand about withdrawal of the teaching cadres of 2014.

Besides, a summary was promised to be submitted to the CM to allow time scale BPS-17 to junior schoolteachers (JSTs) and equivalent cadres. Moreover, a committee would propose suitable amendments to the cabinet for approval of legislation to regularise remaining teachers who had passed from Iqra University, Sindh University, NTS and Institute of Business Administration.

A departmental promotion committee would be convened in 10 days to look into promotion cases of various cadres, while scrutiny would be carried out for remaining cases whose salaries had not been released.

About the demand for group insurance of all government employees, the agreement said the matter was in active consideration of the finance department. Besides, a meeting would be convened to discuss the provision of utility allowances and other benefits to the rest of the employees as being given to those at Governor House, CM House, Sindh Secretariat, Sindh Assembly and Sindh High Court.

Also, the committee on recruitment rules would consider the promotion ratio’s fixation for HSTs to subject specialist in BPS-17.

Murad irked by use of force

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has expressed his displeasure on use of coercive measures against protesting teachers.

He said that teachers were shaping the future of our coming generations but despite his strict instructions and warning to the commissioner against use of coercive measures, the action was taken against the protesting teachers.

Terming the action unacceptable and uncalled for, the chief minister expressed his strong displeasure and directed the home secretary to conduct a thorough inquiry into the matter and submit a report to him.

He said that he would not tolerate such kind of actions in future.

Published in Dawn, March 30th, 2019