IT is very humbly stated that we did a master's degree in the subject of Education. There are more than 10,000 unemployed MA Education degree - holders in Punjab.

MA Education is an academic, as well as professional, degree but the Punjab government's school education department considers it only a professional degree, due to which MA Education degree - holders are not eligible for applying for the post of secondary school educator (BS 16) in the secondary schools of Punjab.

The said department is of the view that MA Education degree - holders must do another MA in some school subject in order to make themselves eligible for the post of secondary school educator. On the other hand, MA Education degree - holders are eligible for applying for the post of lecturer in education (BS-17) at federal as well as at provincial level.

We tried hard to make the relevant department realise that MA Education is an academic, as well as professional, degree but nobody paid heed to our grievances. We filed a writ petition before the Lahore High Court over the issue.

The petition was heard by Justice Tariq Naseem of the said court. After hearing the arguments from both sides, he gave his judgment in our favour. The department concerned had turned a deaf ear to the court's judgment for more than one - and - a - half months but as we forced them to issue a notification as per the court's judgment, it filed an appeal before the Supreme Court of Pakistan, Lahore Bench. The appeal number is 262 in 2009.

The process of recruiting educators in Punjab started in September 2008 and had been stopped twice due to the prevailing political chaos in the country.

Now the government has restarted the process and the posts are likely to be filled within the next three weeks.
If the situation remains the same and our grievances are not entertained, we would be on the losing side and this would be an injustice with us as well as with our degrees.

We are unemployed. We belong to poor families and live from hand to mouth. We do not have the sufficient financial resources to arrange a lawyer and pursue the case in the apex court. Since you are reinstated for the rule of law, we seek your benevolent attention in this regard and request you to please take an immediate suo motu action so that we may get justice in time. We shall be really grateful to you for the favour.

ZAHEER AHMAD

Chakwal