Teachers end token hunger strike after successful negotiations

The Government Secondary Teachers Association Sindh (GSTAS), who were holding a token hunger strike in front of the Karachi Press Club, ended their protest on Thursday after successful talks with School Education & Literacy Department (SELD) Secretary Muhammad Bakhsh Narejo.

During the meeting between the two parties, the teachers presented their charter of demands, which includes payment of salaries of those appointed during the year 2012 in all the six districts of the Karachi region.

Their charter of demands also states that contractual teachers who have qualified their tests held under the supervision of a third party should be considered permanent employees of the education department, while the contract system in the field of teaching should be abolished.

The GSTAS has also been demanding that management cadre employees be removed from their positions at public schools, while junior teachers be promoted to grade 17. On Tuesday the SELD had notified a five-member committee to verify the eligibility of the teaching staff appointed in 2012. The committee is headed by the department’s additional secretary, while the other members are the school education director, the district education officer, the human resources director and the SELD general administration additional secretary.

According to the terms of reference, the committee will examine district-wise original record pertaining to the recruitment of the teachers appointed during 2012 and it will submit its report within a month to the high power committee for further action.

On Thursday the SELD secretary assured the protesters that not only will the teachers recruited during 2012 be reinstated after verification but the department is also committed to releasing their salaries.

Narejo said that some of the teachers have filed petitions in court against the provincial education department and their cases are yet to be decided. However, he added, the department has already constituted a high power committee to verify the recruitment cases, so those who are cleared will be appointed as permanent teachers. He hoped the issue will be resolved during the next few meetings with the higher authorities.

Later, GSTAS Central President Maqsood Mehmood Mahesar warned that if their charter of demands is not accepted even after the SELD secretary’s assurances, the association will exercise their right to protest against the authorities who represented the provincial government in their talks.

Mahesar claimed that the demands of the GSTAS are perfectly justified. He said that if their demands are met by the education department, the teachers will not need to take to the streets.

The GSTAS is not in favour of using teachers against the government, he added. He hoped that 2021 will be a better year for the teachers who have been deprived of their salaries and other due rights.