Daily Times

The federal government teachers of Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) have stressed the authorities concerned to make an improvement in the 4-tier formula of teachers on the urgent basis, which has remained stagnant and unchanged for the past over 30 years.

In a glaring case of unequal treatment, the government teachers of the capital city are demanding an improvement in their service structure, citing a stark disparity between their status and that of their provincial counterparts as well as other government servants in the federal government.

The disparity between the promotion structures of federal and provincial teachers, has led to discontent among educators in the capital.

While talking to APP on Sunday, Dr. Rahima Rehman president of Federal Government College Teachers Association (FGCTA) said, “It is widely acknowledged that an attractive pay and promotion structure plays a vital role in ensuring the effectiveness of teachers in the classroom”. Recognizing this, she said the provincial governments of Punjab and KPK took decisive action back in 2012 to make their pay structure more lucrative, creating a promising environment for their educators. Later on, the Sindh government followed Punjab and KPK provinces and improved the 4-tier service structure of its teachers in 2021. Unfortunately, the federal government has not yet made any substantial improvements to the pay and promotion structure of its teachers since 1992, leaving them with an outdated and unappealing service structure, she told and added, this has created an unjust gap between federal and provincial teachers.

Dr. Jabir Hussain, Press and Information Secretary of FGCTA highlighted the additional disparities faced by federal teachers compared to other federal government servants.

He stated that other federal government servants working in ministries and divisions were enjoying the favorable service structures which was further exacerbating the disparity. Private Secretaries recently received a substantial 100 percent increase in the form of a special allowance added to their salaries. A year back, federal government servants of Grade 17 and above were granted a generous 150 percent executive allowance, he told.

Dr. Jabir Hussain also said that they were also granted a special allowance of 20 percent in the year 2013. However, federal teachers have been left out of these benefits, leading to accusations of discrimination and injustice, he said.

According to him, denying federal teachers the allowances granted to other government employees perpetuates discrimination and undermines the value of their work. He called for swift action from the government to address this issue, stressing the significance of equal treatment and respect for the teaching profession.

The office bearers of FGCTA expressed their concerns and stated that the disparity in pay and promotion structure for federal teachers was a matter of grave concern that demands immediate attention. They highlighted the significance of addressing the existing disparities in the pay and promotion structure for federal teachers. They said that it was imperative for the federal government to reevaluate its stance and prioritize the improvement of the pay and promotion structure for federal teachers, ensuring that they receive the recognition and support they rightfully deserve.