KARACHI, July 25: Sindh Education Minister Dr Hamida Khuhro told the executive district officers (education) in the province on Tuesday that the government wanted implementation of its decision of banning union activities by teachers and employees of government schools and colleges in its true spirit.

Talking to Dawn, Secretary Education Ghulam Ali Pasha said that a meeting of the EDOs was held with education minister in the chair at Sindh Education Foundation Office. The participants were told that the issuance of notification pertaining to imposition of ban on all sorts of association and unions formed by the employees of the Sindh education department, including those by teachers, was one of the measures aimed at improving the state-of-affairs in the education sector.

The officials were asked not to hesitate in initiating actions against all those who were found breaching the Sindh Civil Servants Act, 1973 and Removal from Service Ordinance, 2000, without any discrimination. Teachers and other employees of the education department have once again been warned that they should not bring out rallies or hold meetings criticising the decision on ban, otherwise they would be held liable to punishment under rules, the secretary added.

The Sindh education department in a notification issued on July 21 had said that it was expedient to disallow the illegal activities under unions and associations in educational institutions for better education and future of students.

If any civil servant is found involved in union activities disciplinary actions will be taken against him or her under the “Removal from Service (Special Powers) Ordinance, 2000, it was included in the notification.

The Sindh education minister has ordered the EDOs (education) to take stern action including lodging of FIR and termination from services against those union leaders who are taking law in to their hands in the name of protest against the ban on unions/associations, adds PPI.

During the meeting, while announcing the establishment of a “monitoring cell” at the secretariat, the secretary education asked the EDOs to not only report the cell about every protest along with video recording of the event but also take immediate disciplinary action under RSO 2000 against the union leaders violating the decision and protesting over the issue.

He further directed the EDOs to provide name list of district level office-bearers and other activists of each and every union. He said that action against officials above grade-16 would be taken at the secretariat level.

The meeting decided to immediately impose a ban and close down all the union offices illegally established in government buildings.

The EDOs were directed to immediately solve the genuine issues including pending cases of promotions of teachers to address the wrong impression that the union leaders truly works to solve the problems of the teaching community.