PESHAWAR: Members of All Primary Teachers Association (APTA) on Monday took to the streets across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa against the delay in their upgradation, the proposed plan to privatise public sector schools and changing the pension rules.

In Peshawar, the protesters gathered outside the press club, where the association’s provincial president Azizullah Khan, addressed the teachers.

He recalled that the cabinet of the previous PTI government had unanimously approved upgradation of primary teachers on January 17, 2023, which was to be implemented from July 1, 2023. However, he said the finance department created hurdles in implementing the cabinet decision. He demanded of the provincial government to upgrade the teachers till Oct 30, or they would start sit-ins from Nov 5 in the provincial capital.

The protesters were carrying placards and banners inscribed with their demands.

Mr Azizullah said the teachers were unable to meet their routine expenditures in the prevailing situation of price hike. “About 100,000 teachers would boycott their duties, and 26,000 primary schools would be shut if the government does not accept their demands till this month’s end,” he threatened.

Warn govt against privatising its schools, changing pension rules

Like other parts of KP, APTA Swat chapter also staged a rally in front of the press club, demanding the government address their concerns. The protesters marched from government primary school in Mula Baba area to the press club.

APTA provincial representative Shah Baba, member of the consultative council Ali Ruidar Khan, APTA Swat president Ali Rawan Khan, senior vice-president Roshan Ali Khan, general secretary Umar Dher Khan, vice-president Syed Jamal Shah, and others addressed the gathering.

The speakers demanded the immediate issuance of a notification regarding teachers’ upgradation. They also insisted that teachers regularised under the Regularisation Act of 2022 should be entitled to general provident (GP) fund benefits. Additionally, they demanded that class-wise teachers be appointed in primary schools.

District chapter of APTA held a protest in Lakki Marwat city on Monday to press the government for acceptance of their demands.

Led by APTA provincial vice-president Shafiq Ahmad and district president Haji Abdul Rahim the protesting teachers gathered in front of the press club building on the Old Kutchery Road.

They held banners and placards and raised slogans in favour of their demands.

Speaking on the occasion, Shafiq Ahmad, Haji Rahim, Mohammad Ibrahim, Ihsanullah, Irfanullah and Malgari Ustazaan general secretary Jamil Ahmad Khan said despite promises the provincial government had failed to fulfill the genuine demands of primary schoolteachers.

“The upgradation of teachers approved by the previous PTI government is still in the doldrums as the incumbent rulers are not interested in implementing it in letter and spirit,” they claimed.

The APTA, Lower Dir chapter staged a rally in front of the Timergara Press Club, and rejected the government’s plan to privatise public sector schools. They said the teachers’ community would strongly resist the move. They said teachers were not ready to accept the government’s proposed reforms regarding pension rules.

APTA district president Qazi Habibullah, provincial leader Badshah Mahmood, former district president Ali Rehman, general secretary Sirajuddin, provincial additional deputy secretary Syed Hanif Shah and others spoke.

Primary teachers in Charsadda stage a demonstration and demanded of the government to issue the notification regarding upgradation of teachers and converting contributory provident (CP) fund into GP fund.

They also demanded regularisation of contractual teachers and asked the government to refrain from privatising public sector schools and carrying out pension reforms.

They said instead of forcing teachers to avail promotion, the provincial government should allow them to forgo promotion under Appointment, Promotion and Transfer Rules, 1989.

Published in Dawn, October 8th, 2024