Teachers Demand Regularization of Salaries and Job Security

Quetta:Abdul Mannan Baloch, President of the Balochistan Teachers Association (BTA), along with Khaldah Khan Jamali, Roshan Khan, Saeeda Masood, Anwar Ali Joya, Najibullah Kakar, and others, have appealed to the government to ensure the payment of prescribed salaries to 1,138 teachers and provide them with permanent status to secure their livelihoods.

In pursuit of their demands, they announced a hunger strike and a sit-in protest in front of the Balochistan Assembly on August 5, which they believe will hold the government and relevant authorities accountable for the prevailing situation. The teachers expressed their grievances during a press conference at Quetta Press Club on Monday, alongside their colleagues.

They highlighted the plight of 515 Basic Education School (BES) teachers and 523 Non-Formal Education (NFE) teachers who are educating children in various districts of Balochistan but have not been attending school due to financial constraints caused by the cessation of salaries over the past three years. Initially, the project for BES and NFE teachers was under the federal education ministry in Islamabad until July 2021, when it was handed over to the Balochistan government. According to a decision made in the provincial cabinet on December 27, 2022, a notification was issued to update the situation from January 1, 2023, but no resolution has been achieved despite meetings with higher authorities.

The teachers emphasized that their struggle is for justice and their right to a dignified living, urging the government to swiftly address their concerns and regularize their employment and salaries as per the commitments made.