Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa teachers demand immediate reforms, threaten to close schools

School teachers in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa held protests to advocate their demands, warning that they could close more than 26,000 educational institutions, which would severely disrupt the province’s education system.

The teachers’ demands include promotion of senior staff, abolition of the contributory pension fund, restoration of the General Provident Fund, regularization of contract teachers and ending the privatization policy for government schools.

The All Primary Teachers Association (APTA) in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa said that if their demands were not addressed by October 30, they would protest in Peshawar on November 5 and completely shut down primary schools, the Express Tribune reported. Will stop.

Primary teachers in the province protested in front of the Peshawar Press Club, similar to demonstrations held across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, with significant participation from female teachers. The protest was led by APTA provincial president Azizullah Khan and other officials. The protesters carried placards and banners highlighting their demands.

Azizullah Khan emphasized that the teachers have consistently favored dialogue. However, despite efforts going on for a year and discussions with government officials, the notification for promotion of primary teachers has not been issued yet. he/she said, “This notification was unanimously approved by the provincial cabinet on January 17, 2023, and was to be legally implemented from July 1, 2023. However, the Finance Department, by presenting inflated cost estimates, misled By doing this, this right decision has been stopped.” “The government is blocking the implementation of further upgradation of teachers, which is in line with the educational vision of the party.”

“They had earlier staged a historic five-day protest and they are ready to do it again,” he/she said. Despite the difficulties faced, teachers remain undeterred.

The teachers called for immediate implementation of their promotions, appointment of class-specific teachers in primary schools, reduction in the number of books for primary students, rejection of privatization of primary schools, release of SPS teacher posts and codes. In the merged districts, implement the GP fund under the Regularization Act 2022 and regularize the teachers who were ignored. Additionally, he/she urged legislative action to ensure that teachers transferred under UC and interdistrict transfers remain in their current districts, as reported by the Express Tribune.

It was said that if their demands were not met by 30 October, 100,000 primary teachers from across the province would stage a strike in Peshawar on 5 November, resulting in the complete closure of 26,000 primary schools.

Meanwhile, primary school teachers in Batkhela locked their schools and protested in support of their demands. They warned that if their requests were not heeded, they would close government schools indefinitely and take to the streets. The protesters carried banners and placards and raised slogans in front of Malakand Press Club.

Speaking to the protesters, Malakand All Primary Teachers Association President Dr Salman Ali and other senior teaching staff announced that boys and girls primary schools were partially closed at 11 am. They warned that if their demands were not met the schools would be closed permanently for an indefinite period.