HYDERABAD, Feb 16: The Government Secondary Teachers Association has criticized the policies of the Sindh education minister in respect of appointment of teachers and resolved to launch a protest movement throughout Sindh from Feb 18 in furtherance of their demands.

The decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the central office-bearers at the Government High School, Society, on Monday with president of the association, Abdul Ghani Kumbhar, in the chair.

The meeting accused the education minister of taking arbitrary and illegal decisions in respect of appointment of teachers. The meeting observed that extra-constitutional and extra- legal decisions in respect of teachers' appointments would open the floodgate of corruption.

The meeting observed that the procedure adopted for the appointment of lecturers would destroy the entire education system of Sindh. Office secretary Rasheed Memon said a letter had been sent to the authorities concerned that if the genuine demands of secondary teachers were not accepted by Feb 26, the action committee of the association would meet on Feb 27 to chalk out the future course of action.

In the letter the association demanded the restoration of teachers' employment quota, teaching allowance and advance increment, payment of house rent as per 2001 pay scale and increase in the payment of remuneration in respect of assessment of examination copies and other examination duties.

Those who attended the meeting included general secretary Darya Khan Nizamani, vice-president Allah Dino Mallah, finance secretary Gul Bhar Magsi, joint secretary Muzaffar Channa and office secretary Rasheed Memon.

Meanwhile, a rush was witnessed at the HBL Haider Chowk branch where a large number of unemployed youth had queued up to get employment forms for the posts of teachers.

Inquiries conducted by this correspondent revealed that three branches of HBL, namely Haider Chowk, Market and Latifabad had been designated to sell forms to candidates at the rate of Rs100 per form.

The candidates, however, complained that the stock of forms had been exhausted and the bank was unable to provide forms. They, however, complained that forms were sold in black market through middlemen.

More than one dozen candidates also staged a protest demonstration outside the press club against the non-availability of forms. Talking to newsmen, Ghulam Mohiuddin Lund, Lal Mohammad, Mir Nadeem Ahmed, Trooh Khaskheli and others alleged they had not been able to get employment forms during the last five days from the HBL and added that the same were sold in the black market.