Primary school teachers on strike

Akbar Hussain

BOONI: Primary school teachers in KP took to the streets against the breach of a promise made by the provincial government regarding their upgradation.

The government primary schools throughout the province remained closed today and the teachers joined the main protest staged by the All Primary Teacher Association (APTA) in Peshawar.

“The protest may last for many days until and unless our genuine demands are met,” said a representative of APTA. 

The key demand of the teachers was to allot BPS 15 upon the initial appointment of primary schoolteachers instead of BPS 12 according to the recruitment policy of 2018 in which the required educational qualification was enhanced to a bachelor degree from matriculation.

The president of APTA, Azizullah Khan, reiterated his determination to impel the government to accept their demands. He also condemned the highhandedness of the police against the peaceful demonstrators. 

“The schools will remain closed and we will not go back until the government accepts our demands,” said Mr Khan. “We can face not only the shelling of tear gas but are ready to face the bullets too,” he added. 

Meanwhile, like the down districts, the primary schools in upper Chitral were also closed today. The teachers got together in a sit-in protest held in the district headquarters Booni to express their solidarity with their provincial leadership.

It is expected that teachers from the district might also join the main demonstration in Peshawar very soon.