Moalims

Islamabad—A week has not passed since World Teachers Day when the federal government had promised respect and rewards for the makers of the nation, that on Friday through a notification, all the school teachers working under the Federal Directorate of Education are directed to remain present in their institutions on Saturday and Sunday.

Not only teachers, Principals, Area Education Officers, employees and officials of the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) and attached departments are also given these disturbing orders through a bureaucratic notification.

The notification issued by the Capital Administration & Development Division (CADD) has arbitrarily directed the Director General of the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) to pass on the information to all the heads of the institutions to remain at schools along with their staff until 1.30 pm on Friday and ensure their attendance on the two following days as well. Students however have been spared from this.

An official of the FDE expressing his surprise at the arbitrary order said all the information CADD or Senate Committee on Education require (it has been rumoured that two teams one led by Maryam Nawaz and the other comprising members of the Senate Committee on Education are inspecting various schools of the federal capital these days) has already been provided by the FDE.

Keeping teachers standby at schools is not going to serve any purpose as they don’t have any information it is the Federal Directorate where all the information for instance number of students, infrastructure, books, enrollment is recorded.

On the other hand, teachers who had commitments on these two off days are upset at the orders. “We have only two days for our little chores and to spend with family or visit friends, the government by denying us the fundamental right of leave has in a way showed its disrespect and disregard for teachers,” said a teacher who had to visit family in Chakwal on Saturday.

“My mother is sick and I had to go to ask after her health and arrange proper medication but I don’t know who has advised the CADD or the FDE to revoke teachers’ holidays, she said, adding she was sure there would be no compensation for these holidays.

Not only teachers are panicked their family is also on tenterhooks as the promised days are all of a sudden converted into working days for them.

A source in the CADD told Pakistan Observer Maryam Nawaz on Thursday reportedly visited a school in the surroundings of the Bhara Kahu and it is on her desire the Prime Minister has asked the CADD to make arrangement for her visits to schools on the following two days.

Madam Maryam wants to interact with the teachers share their problems and understand the working of schools therefore all the teachers and staff have been asked to standby on the coming two days, he added.

News Reference