LAHORE, June 15: The Punjab Teachers Union (PTU) has rejected the provincial budget saying the 15 per cent increase in the salary package was nowhere in line with the ever-increasing price hike and inflation.

In a statement issued here on Friday, PTU President Raja Zafeer Ahmad and others said the budget had fixed a skilled labourer’s salary at Rs5,644 and unskilled labourer’s at Rs4,833, while the graduate trained teacher was being given a monthly salary of just Rs4,250. They also said the daily wagers were earning some Rs250 per day.

They rejected government’s claims that the literacy ratio in Punjab had reached 62 per cent and students’ enrolment in primary and higher classes would be raised by 70 per cent this year. — Staff Reporter