SWABI, May 20: The All Teachers Association (ATA) has called upon the government to increase salaries of the teachers in the next budget in proportion to the price-hike.

Presenting a charter of demands on Saturday, ATA’s provincial vice-president Muhammad Tariq said it had become almost impossible to make ends meet with the existing salary.

“The government should end the exploitation of teachers,” he said.

He regretted that while the teachers’ community was kept deprived of its ‘genuine’ rights, it was held responsible for poor performance of the education sector.

He demanded immediate end to political interference in educational institutions.

Flanked by district general secretary Zarnabi Khan, he demanded increments for teachers in accordance with verdicts of the services tribunal, restoration of quota for teachers’ sons in appointments in the department, BPS-16 to theology and Arabic teachers, increase in the medical allowance and house rent according to the revised pay scale.

The ATA leaders also demanded increase in headmasters’ allowance, change in the service structure of teachers and a uniform education system.

Selection grade and additional increments on higher education should also be restored, they said.

They said the education sector should be under the control of the provincial government instead of the district government.