Murad directs inquiry into coercive measures against protesting teachers

Staff Reporter

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah expressing his displeasure on coercive measures taken against protesting teachers has ordered an inquiry.
Taking serious notice and expressing strong displeasure against the action taken against protesting teachers, Murad Shah on Friday ordered home secretary to conduct a thorough inquiry into the matter and report him.
He said that he had directed commissioner Karachi to negotiate with the teachers and resolve the issue. “I had strictly warned him [commissioner] against coercive measure but even then action was taken,” he deplored and added this was unacceptable and uncalled for.
Murad Shah said that teachers were respectable and they were shaping the future of our future generation. “They must be treated humbly and with respect,” he said and added “he will not tolerate such kind of actions at all,” he concluded. Meanwhile, Teachers of government schools have decided to boycott classes and educational activities across Sindh on Friday after being treated with batons and tear gas at Karachi’s Press Club by police.
Due to the protest, several schools in Hyderabad remained closed today (Friday). The teachers have put forward eight demands including making them permanent, promotion and revision of timescale and announced to continue with the protest till the demands were accepted.
The decision to boycott the educational activities across the Sindh province came at a crucial time when the Board of Secondary Education (Matric) and Intermediate exams are scheduled to start from April 1. The boycott has also put the exams at risk.
Parents of the students fear that the absence of teachers will seriously affect the education of the children.
Earlier, the police had resorted to shelling to disperse protesting teachers of government schools outside Press Club, where female teachers were also present in large number. Many of the teachers got injured in the police action.
Meanwhile, the provincial education minister has called the protesting teachers for settlement in order to put the protest to an end.

from Pakistan Observer https://ift.tt/2TJaUda