Honorarium for girls’ community schoolteachers increased

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has approved a significant increase in the monthly honorarium of teachers serving in Girls’ Community Schools run under the Elementary and Secondary Education Foundation (ESEF).

The new rate of Rs36,000 per month—up from the previous Rs21,000—will be effective from April 1, 2025.

The raise is the result of special interest and consistent follow-up by Provincial Minister for Education Faisal Khan Tarakai, who has been actively pursuing reforms to uplift education in low-resource areas of the province.

“This is a historic move to improve the working conditions of teachers who are playing a vital role in educating girls in underserved areas,” the minister stated, adding that teacher welfare remains central to the government’s broader educational vision.

The community schools were established in remote parts of the province to provide basic education to young girls where regular public schools are not available. These schools employ local women to teach, but limited financial incentives have long posed a challenge to both recruitment and retention of qualified instructors.

The move has been widely welcomed by educationists, civil society, and the teaching community.

“This step will not only boost the morale of teachers but also ensure better quality of education for girls in rural regions,” said Professor Shagufta Naz, an education expert.

It may be mentioned here that the community school teachers have been protesting for years against low pays and even nonpayment of these wages to them for months.

There were about 70 such community schools across Chitral.