PIERA’s indifference exposes female teachers to worst exploitation

ISLAMABAD: Many private schools in Islamabad and its surrounding areas, including Rawalpindi, Taxila, and residential societies such as B-17, have turned into hubs of economic and professional exploitation for female teachers.

Young graduates, married women, and single mothers working in these institutions face meager salaries, illegal deductions, lack of job security, and even sexual harassment at the hands of male school owners.

Despite these widespread issues, the Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (PEIRA) remains indifferent, failing to inspect these institutions or address the concerns of teachers.

The unchecked expansion of private schools, particularly in residential areas, has resulted in unregulated employment practices.

Teachers complain that these schools pay them less than the minimum wage, often between Rs18,000 to Rs25,000, while charging students hefty tuition fees ranging from Rs5,000 to Rs10,000 per month.

Adding to their woes, these institutions do not issue appointment letters or formal contracts, making it easier to terminate teachers without notice.

“Over the past two years, I have worked at five private schools, and they owe me thousands of rupees. They hire women without paperwork, pay them meager salaries, and deduct money in the name of security,” said a female teacher.

She further lamented that when teachers are verbally fired, they are denied access to the school premises to demand their unpaid dues, while the owners and administrators refuse to take their calls.

Many female teachers working in these private schools have similar stories of exploitation. They are often forced to work under poor conditions, taking on multiple responsibilities beyond their job descriptions, without any benefits such as medical insurance or job security.

Teachers also report that when they resign due to non-payment or mistreatment, schools refuse to release their salaries for the last one or two months, pushing them into further financial distress.

Harassment and Abuse of Power: Beyond economic exploitation, some female teachers have also faced sexual harassment from male school owners.

“My school owner took me for granted and compelled me to sit and chat with him. When I refused, I was assigned multiple tasks and exploited to the extent that I had no option but to resign,” said another private school teacher.

Several other teachers echoed her experience, describing an environment where the male school owners misuse their authority to prey on vulnerable female employees who are in desperate need of work.

Regulatory failure and lack of accountability: The plight of these teachers is further aggravated by the lack of a regulatory mechanism to address their grievances. PEIRA, the body responsible for monitoring private schools, has largely ignored the exploitation of female teachers. No efforts have been made to conduct inspections regarding salary structures, employment conditions, or the qualifications of teaching staff.

Teachers say they have no official platform to seek justice or demand the recovery of their unpaid salaries.

To make matters worse, the private school owners’ associations, which exist to represent the interests of their members, have shown no concern for the welfare of teachers. Instead, these associations focus solely on protecting the financial interests of school owners, leaving female teachers to fend for themselves.

Authorities remain silent: Despite repeated attempts, PEIRA Chairperson Dr. Sayeda Zia Batool did not respond to the calls or messages for comment on the situation. Her silence reflects the regulatory authority’s inaction and unwillingness to intervene in the exploitation of teachers working in private schools.

The unchecked growth of private schools in Islamabad and its adjoining areas continues to create a toxic work environment for female teachers, where they are underpaid, harassed, and deprived of their basic rights.

Without regulatory oversight and legal protection, thousands of women remain at the mercy of school owners who prioritize profits over human dignity.

Education experts warn that unless authorities take meaningful action, female teachers will remain trapped in a system that exploits them, offering neither dignity nor security.