Sindh Chief Minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim on Tuesday said that the government would not lift the ban imposed on teachers' unions. He appreciated the role of the teachers and paid compliments to those "who value education" and want to maintain peace in educational institutions so that the students get proper education.
He said he was thankful to those who had welcomed the ban on teachers' unions and supported the decision of the government to cleanse the teachers community of a handful of those who did not want peace in educational institutions.
He referred to the presence of ghost teachers and said that they would not be tolerated at any cost and that their monopoly on educational institutions would be extricated.
Rahim said that in the name of 'union worship', the handful agitating teachers had spoiled and dismantled the entire education system in the province and they were still trying to do the same. "I will not let it happen again," he said, with determination to continue to suppress all agitation with force. "I will not lift the ban from teachers' unions. No government servant can participate in any kind of union activity. It is all illegal," he added.
He said he had decided to ban teachers' union in the greater interest of the people of the province. Public interest would continue to remain supreme, he added.
"The government would not yield to any blackmailing from teachers. Their threat that during the coming general election while performing election duty they would oppose Muslim League (Q) is protection racket and it will not pay.
In a handout later issued from the Chief Minister House he was quoted as saying that the PML (Q) would like to see elections fair and transparent and that the PML would like to get vote from people to whom it serves.
He said he believed in service to the people rather than working to win elections. He said his party needed real votes and would not tolerate bungling in the elections by anyone.
He said he did not need opportunist teachers with the help of whom PPP and other parties used to rig and win elections. The chief ministers said a few political parties were instigating teachers to protest and take law and order situation in their hands. The instigating political parties see their interest in provoking others and push them into trouble. At the same time these agitating teachers see their interest in remaining associated with disgruntled political parties and continue to take dictations from them. "Nothing tangible would come out of this situation", Rahim said.
He said that people should analyse the entire situation and try to find out the best way out if the falling education standard is to be stabilised and improved or left to crumble down.
Opting to use tough language the chief minister said that he warns those teachers who are serving as munshis of waderas in their respective goths and are trying to instigate people against the government to behave and mend their ways. They should attend their duties and begin to teach their students, he added. He advised them to resign from jobs and become full time employees of waderas and then do whatever they like to do.
The chief minister said that among the reports of corruption the serious ones were from the education department. "Teachers have swindled away millions of rupees earmarked for children food and milk allowances. It would be probed into," he said.
He said he knew there were schools in the interior of Sindh where the number of teachers was more than the number of students. "These teachers are unwilling to be transferred and posted from one village to another village. I want them to abide by government instruction and begin to teach at their respective schools."
The chief minister said that protest and agitation being launched by the so-called teachers' unions and participation by Nisar Khuhro was indicative of the fact that these people want to destroy the entire education system in Sindh. "I will not permit it," he said.
Earlier, teachers had protested outside the press club and marched towards the Chief Minister House. They were stopped half way. Police baton-charged them and fired tear gas shells to disperse them. Nisar Khuhro condemned the entire incident and has asked the Sindh Government to apologise on its behaviour. Talking to Business Recorder he said that to refuse to listen to the teachers and treat them roughly was tantamount to disrespect to education.
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