SAHIWAL: Thousands of college teachers protested in front of more than 30 district press clubs across Punjab against the recently announced Higher Education Department (HED) e-transfer policy.

The protests also addressed the upcoming dislocation of 423 assistant professors upon their promotion from Grade 17 to 18, induction of 5-Tiers formula in college cadre service structure, the filling of 6000 vacant post of college teachers in Grade 17, 18, 19 and 20, and the unprofessional handling of daily issues faced by the 25,000-teaching community of public sector colleges.

The province-wide protest was organised on the call of PPLA President Faiza Raana. She led Lahore district protest in front of the Lahore Press Club.

Sources informed Dawn that PPLA heads of divisional and district chapters held protest gatherings by marching towards press clubs and holding placards, posters, panaflaxs and banners.

PPLA Sahiwal chapter also become part of provincial wise protests.

Protesters chanted slogans against HED high-ups, condemning their irrational, illogical, and anti-teacher policies. In many district, protesters submitted a unified charter of demand in the offices of deputy commissioner and commissioner.

SARGODHA: The PPLA Sargodha Division, held a protest rally on Mianwali-Khushab Road, marching to the Sargodha Press Club to press their demands.

The rally caused a traffic disruption, with roads being blocked for several hours. Leading the protest were Prof Dr Sahibzada Ahmed Nadeem and president Prof Dr Hafiz Muhammad Ramzan, along with other government college teachers.

PPLA leaders told a press conference their demands are fair and legitimate. They called for the higher education secretary to issue immediate promotion orders from grade 17 to 18, with upgradation that do not displace any lecturers.

They also demanded that promotion-linked training and exams be conducted online for the convenience of the professors. They demanded the appointment of permanent principals in colleges across the Sargodha division, where these positions have long been vacant, as well as the appointment of a permanent director for the colleges. The association also called for a revision of the transfer policy and the initiation of the transfer process.

A key demand of the protest was the approval of pay and service protection, which has been a longstanding issue for the teaching community.

The PPLA also called for immediate refixation of the college cadre under the four-grade formula to facilitate timely promotions across all grades.

They criticised the slow process of departmental promotions, calling for urgent improvements to alleviate the concerns of college teachers.

TOBA TEK SINGH: The PPLA and Ittehad Asataza Pakistan held a joint protest outside the Faisalabad Press Club on Tuesday.

They highlighted grievances about the unjustified transfer of recently promoted lecturers to other cities.

They also complained about the delay in issuing promotion letters. The protesters demanded the immediate issuance of promotion orders and the withdrawal of transfer orders.

Published in Dawn, August 28th, 2024