KP teachers agree to conduct anti-polio drive

Over 9,000 teachers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, who had refused to take part in a polio-vaccination campaign citing low wages and security concerns as the reasons earlier, agreed to kick start the campaign scheduled for Sunday (today) following successful negotiations with the government on Saturday evening.
All Pakistan Primary Teachers Association President Khalid Malik said that their talks with the district administration have been successful. He said the government has accepted their demands of granting Shuhda (martyred) Package for the teachers who have died during polio vaccination campaign.
Under the compensation package, children of the deceased employees will be provided with jobs and women teachers would not be sent to sensitive areas.
Malik said the teachers have agreed to call off the boycott and would participate in the polio drive starting from January 26.
Earlier on Saturday, the teachers had said the government was forcing them to go on “suicide missions” which would prove disastrous for education as well.
Following attacks on polio workers and killing of security personnel, the KP health authorities had requested the education department to help carry out the campaign through teachers, but they refused to get training for the vaccination and participate in the drive.