LAHORE, Sept 5: The Punjab education department will take action against the teachers of the public sector schools who had applied for in-service training programme offered by a non-governmental organization. Education secretary Javed Aslam told Dawn here on Monday that the teachers should have taken prior permission from the department for an in-service training programme of the NGO, the Punjab Institute of Education and Social Development.

Over a dozen teachers appeared for interview for the programme in the NGO’s Gulberg office. Under the programme announced earlier, they did not have to pay any tuition fee and on completion of it they were to be given a handsome amount. However, they were told on appearance that they would have to pay both registration charges and admission fee amounting to around Rs3,000.

It led to arguments between them and the NGO officials. Later, they had scuffle with police called out by the NGO. Both the parties reached a settlement in the Gulberg police station.

A police official said the matter had been amicably settled as the teachers did not insist for registration of a criminal case against the NGO.

Mr Aslam said the department could initiate action against the NGO only after receiving a formal complaint.