Teachers from different model colleges under the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) on Wednesday organised a protest against the non-upgradation of their pay scales in accordance with the government’s decision taken in 2010.
The protest was led by the Central Academic Staff Association (CASA) for implementation of the upgradation of 1,800 teachers from 20 model colleges, from grade-17 to 21, along with the monetisation and provision of hiring facility. A number of teachers participated in protests held at their respective colleges, with black armbands, as a sign of protest. They said, “We have been desperately waiting for the upgradation of our scales in accordance with the Time Scale Promotion Formula (TSPF) for two years.”
“Teachers who have been serving in these colleges for the many years being deprived of their due right and cannot perform their professional duties with motivation,” they said.
CASA President Aftab Tariq said the teachers were worried that if the decision to upgrade their scales was not fully implemented, they would have to commence their struggle during the new government set up. He said the teachers’ files had been pending with the Ministry of Capital Administration and Development, while FDE authorities have not been pursuing matters. He said, “We will go on strike in the next few days if our demands are not met.”
The Model Colleges’ Welfare Staff Association, which represents the non-teaching staff from Grade I-16, has also demanded the regularisation of their services and provision of hiring and other facilities. Around 900 non-teaching staff members from different model colleges have been waiting for the regularisation of their services. FDE Director General Dr Shahnaz Riaz has said that the teachers’ files have been to the Ministry of CAD for processing, while the process of regularising non-teaching staff members is also under-way.
She said the directorate had initiated efforts to fulfil the demands of its employees and a meeting would be held with all teachers awaiting their regularisation. Students, bachelors, and working women have been facing residential problems due to an acute shortage of accommodation facilities in the twin cities.
Shabbir Hussain, who has been living in a single room in Sector G-6/2, said the main cause of this shortage was a lack of bachelor hostels and proper housing schemes.
He said he had been facing residential problems since he had arrived in the capital in 2003. “During the course of five years, I have changed my residence many times due to the bad attitude of house owners or lack of basic facilities,” he added. He said the government could bring a lot of relief to bachelors and students if it constructed youth hostels in the area for bachelors who came to the city in search of jobs and education.
Muhammad Noman, an IT employee, said that rents had surged in the last few years due an unprecedented influx of students and job seekers in the capital. “I pay Rs 10,000 for a single unfurnished room, and the owner raises the rent by 10 percent every year,” he added.
Waleed Khan, a student, said that due to the non-availability of proper hostel facilities, he had to live in a small room. “It is quite difficult for a student to find a reasonable place at an affordable rate,” he added. He said private hostels had been charging Rs 6,000 to Rs 8,000 for single-bed accommodation and did not offer proper cleanliness systems.
“I live in a small room at a private hostel with three other girls due to the paucity of hostels for girls in the twin cities,” said Nida Khan, an employee at a semi-government organisation.
