Basic education community schoolteachers hold protest

BOONI: Female teachers of 30 basic education community schools in Upper Chitral again held a protest against non-payment of salaries for the last 16 months.

The protrsters were accompanied by their children and carrying placards and chanting slogans.

It may be noted that these teachers have frequently been holding protests for many years but their issues are yet to be resolved.

Talking to ChitralToday correspondent, the teachers said they had been working in the schools for class 1 to 5 since 1996 under the federal government. In 2021, the federal government handed over the schools to the KP government. 

The provincial government further shifted the schools to the Elementary Education Foundation.

The protesters said there were about 1,200 basic education community schools in the province, and 96 in Lower and Upper Chitral districts, in which one teacher taught all the students from class 1 to 5. 

Last year, the foundation after a verification falsely showed all the schools closed. The teachers said the foundation wanted the teachers to sign an agreement under which they cannot protest or approach court, which was unjustified.

The teachers said after they refused the illegal agreement, the foundation stopped payment of their salaries for 16 months.

The protesters later walked to the deputy commissioner office and also held talks with him.

The deputy commissioner, Manzoor Ahmed Afridi, contacted the additional secretary education in Peshawar on phone and then assured the teachers that their issue would be resolved in two weeks.

The female teachers then ended their protest and thanked the DC.–GH Farooqui