LAHORE, May 23: Punjab Ombudsman Khalid Mehmood has ordered payment of salary to teachers serving in private education institutions for the period of summer vacation and salary above the minimum level of wages fixed by the government for labourers.

He issued the order on the application of Ms Um-ul-Baneen, a resident of Wahdat Road, Lahore, a handout issued here on Wednesday said.

In the order, the ombudsman said the owners of some of the private institutions had, over the years, turned too powerful and the education department appeared to have lost the will and the capacity to impose a check on such institution or to enforce any discipline through legislation.

The complainant submitted in her application that she wanted to take teaching as career but was frustrated to find that most of private schools were exploiting teachers.

For instance, she submitted, as against minimum wages of Rs7,000 per month fixed by the government for labourers/workers, the private schools were paying only Rs3,500 to qualified teachers.

The teachers, she said, had no job security and were not even allowed to sit on chair during their working hours. They were also not paid any salary during summer vacation whereas full tuition fee for the three months (of vacation) was charged in advance from the students, she added.

She said the schools managements keep the original degrees/certificates of the teachers in their possession to force them to work for them against their will.

She also mentioned that no medical care or retirement benefits were provided to the teachers serving in private institutes.

The ombudsman deputed Mian Muhammad Afzal (adviser) as investigating officer who sought a report on the issue from authorities concerned and a joint hearing was also arranged.

In their reports, the school education secretary and the DPI said the private schools were registered under Punjab Private Educational Institutions (Promotion and Regulation) Ordinance, 1984 and the rules framed there under.

The officials said that on chief minister’s directions, a committee had been constituted to formulate recommendations in respect of privately managed schools and that the matter would be placed before the provincial cabinet after consulting all stakeholders.

The ombudsman also ordered labour secretary to design a plan for provision of healthcare and pension benefits to private schools’ teachers with the consultation of Punjab Employees’ Social Security Institution (PESSI) and the provincial education department and issue clear instructions in this regard.

He also ordered the school education secretary and DPI (SE) to formulate recommendations for an amendment in the existing law and ensure by taking practical steps that the teachers in private institutions were paid salary above the minimum level of wages (fixed for workers) and no teacher was deprived of salary for vacation period.