World Teachers Day is observed annually on October 5, to acknowledge the essential role of teachers in providing quality education at all levels. It also commemorates the anniversary of the 1966 signature of the Unesco/ILO Recommendation Concerning the Status of Teachers.
Hundreds of teachers from different educational institutions under the banner of Federal Government College Teachers Association (FGCTA) gathered at Parade Avenue and strongly criticised Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) for not implementing what has been announced by the prime minister last year.
According to information, teachers had been struggling and raising voice for their upgradation ever since they were assured by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on World Teachers Day on October 5, 2006. Then, the current Prime Minister, Yusuf Raza Gilani, again reiterated his pledge on November 8, 2010 in an extraordinary gathering in Islamabad.
However, teachers working under Grade-16 and above never got the upgradation as per the directives of PM. The teachers believe that they have been given lollipop whenever they demanded upgradation, but now they would not sit quietly.
Talking to this scribe FGCTA President Professor Zahid Ali Shah said that the teachers community has been forced by the authorities to mark their day as black day . The loss, which students are suffering due to boycotts is because of the officials, who are making hurdles in the implementation of PM s directive regarding upgradation. Those officials certainly deserve punishment, he added.
He said that they have been literally running from pillar to post from last five years, but all their efforts appear to be futile. Now we have decided that we would not end our boycott till our demand are met, he added.
FGCTA General Secretary Tahir Mahmood said that it was the height of plight that the nation builders are being compelled to come out on the streets to get their genuine demand of upgradation implemented. The bureaucracy has been putting off the implementation of the package under one pretext or the other. The college teachers waited patiently during the whole year, but the indifferent attitude of the bureaucracy forced the teachers to observe the world teachers day as black day , he said.
The teachers who have been working under same pay scale for a decade or more appeared more aggressive rather disturbed over the current scenario of the teachers. I have been working since 1985 but till to date I have got only one promotion in 2000, said Nazar Mohammad Bhutto.
He said that there was no proper system for upgradation as it is done on the basis of seniority. One can only get promotion if his or her senior dies or retires. The motivation of teachers completely dies out when they have least hope for promotion, he said. He further added that he was going to retire after six months with only one promotion in his whole career.
Another teacher Qamar Sultan while talking to this scribe lamented that the he was working in same grade for last 21 years. I joined service as grade 17 officer as still working under same grade while one of my colleague who joined with me is now holding a high post in CADD just because of his manoeuvring, he said.
He said that he has also topped the tests for grade 18 and grade 19 twice, but he had not been given promotion, as he didn t have close links with the relevant authorities.
Samina who has been working under same grade for last 13 years severely criticised the authorities for degrading the noble profession of teaching. The promotion system is just like a pyramid where only few could reach to the top, she added.
She said that teachers are often being criticised by the people for taking extra tuitions, but no one ever bothered to know the circumstances in which they are teaching. Teachers are also human beings and they also have their needs. How come a teacher could give 100 per cent when he has no hope for the future, she said.
The teachers on the occasion raised slogans against the CADD, as they believe that it was the main hurdle in the implementation of teachers package. They vowed to continue their boycott till the implementation of PM directive and dispersed peacefully.