ISLAMABAD: Protesting teachers on Thursday got support of PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz who criticised the government for placing Islamabad’s educational institutions under the local government.

Thousands of teachers held a rally from National Press Club to Parliament House where they staged a protest demonstration, demanding the government delete clause 166 of Local Government Act 2021.

Under the clause, the mayor will be the reporting officer of director-general of the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE).

As the teachers took to the streets, the PML-N leader tweeted that placing teachers under the local government was the worst example of the incompetence of the PTI government. She said her party was standing shoulder to shoulder with the teachers, adding the PML-N demands deletion of the disputed clause of the ordinance.

She said a person who had ruined the status of people should refrain from destroying future of the country. “He [PM] should be ready to go home,” she tweeted.

PPP leader Nafisa Shah, JI leader Mian Aslam and PPP’s Sibtul Haider Bukhari visited the protest site and expressed solidarity with the teachers. They assured them of their parties’ full support.

Earlier, thousands of teachers holding placards gathered outside the press club where they chanted slogans. While moving towards the Parliament House, the protesters faced resistance from police but removed all the hurdles and managed to reach outside the parliament building.

Action Committee of Teachers Chairman Fazal-i-Mola said after boycotting classes for a week the teachers had joined their duties on the assurance of the government that the ordinance would be amended. However, he said, no step was taken in this regard that forced the teachers to take to streets again.

He said if the educational institutions were devolved to the local government, the concept of free education and textbooks would end, as the local government could not afford such facilities.

Federal Government School Teachers Association President Malik Ameer Khan warned the government to delete section 166 otherwise thousands of parents and students would join the protest. He said soon the action committee would announce a new plan of protest.

The Federal Government College Teachers Association (FGCTA) also participated in the protest.

Addressing the protesters, FGCTA President Prof Rahima Rahman termed the insertion of section 166 an unwise decision of the government.

She demanded immediate removal of the section from the local government ordinance, adding it was a pity that the authorities had compelled respected teachers to take to the streets to protect their rights.

The protesting teachers said if the FDE, which regulates 423 schools and colleges, was placed under the administrative control of the mayor the education sector would face a big blow as running such as huge number of institutions was beyond the capacity of the local government.

They said these institutions needed a fund of Rs20 billion and the local government had no sources of income except taxes.

The teachers said they were employees of the federal government and if they were shifted to the local government they would be denied of many benefits which they currently availed.

On the other hand, the government said the service structure of teachers would not be disturbed and the mayor would be the reporting officer of the FDE chief.

Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) Ali Nawaz Awan recently told a press conference that the rights of the teaching and non-teaching staff would be protected and even then if there was any concern the government was ready to listen to them.

Published in Dawn, December 24th, 2021