PESHAWAR, Jan 23: Teachers from different parts of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas on Wednesday demanded the immediate opening of schools in the region and provision of proper security to them for doing duty.

They also urged the government to upgrade their posts to ease unrest in the community.

All Fata Teachers Association president Shamshad Afridi told reporters at Peshawar Press Club that a convention would be held on Jan 29 at Jinnah Park in Peshawar to discuss problems faced by Fata teachers and finalise future course of action for their solution.

He said uncertainty had distressed thousands of Fata teachers. Mr Afridi, who was accompanied by other office-bearers of the association, said education facilities in Fata had been a shambles for last few years due to military operation against militants to the misery of local residents.

He said most of teachers from Fata had declined to do duty until they were provided with proper security.

The AFTA president urged the government to provide teachers with security or stop transferring them to insecure places. “We (teachers) are ready to do duty in our own agencies but won’t go to other agencies for growing security threats,” he said.

Mr Afridi said closure of schools had forced scores of students to say goodbye to studies. He said right were denied to Fata teachers due to absence of their real representative body.

“Teachers in Fata are unable to raise voice for their rights as there is no real representative body for them. As a result, the most of their issues remains unresolved,” he said.

The AFTA president demanded that the relevant authorities take early steps for resumption of academic activities in Fata, protection of teachers and upgradation of teachers’ posts. —Bureau Report