HYDERABAD, Feb 22: The All Sindh Primary Teachers Association has said its movement to pressure the authorities to acceptance of its demands will continue till April 15 when teachers will stage a sit-in outside Parliament House.

Speaking at a news conference at the press club here on Sunday, association president Mohammad Rafiq Jarwar and other leaders said after the recent Karachi rally by the teachers, it was expected a notification would be issued in respect of their demands. However, they regretted, it appeared the rulers, specially the education authorities, were not in favour of running educational affairs in a smooth manner.

They made it clear quota in employment for children of teachers was not a negation of merit as being claimed by the authorities but, according to them, it was a merit itself. They said there were two types of quotas - discretionary quota and quota as a right.

They said they were against the first type of quota which had destroyed the merit system. They said merit should however also be considered in the second type of quota.

They disputed the claim of the government that all types of quota had been abolished, saying the claim was aimed at deceiving the people. The teachers' leaders alleged that government allied parties were fighting for posts in the education department and ministers and MPAs had started preparing lists of their candidates.

They accused Sindh Education Minister Irfanullah Marwat of committing irregularities in recruitment in the education department. They cited examples of recruitment of lecturers and schoolteachers under the middle school project.

The leaders claimed they too had been asked unofficially to furnish lists for appointments but they had refused to accept what they called political bribe.

They also complained of irregularities in transfers and postings of EDOs, DOEs and ADOEs. They regretted instead of removing their grievances, they were being threatened with dire consequences.