Ombudsman of Punjab Khalid Mehmood has ordered to pay salary according to the minimum level of wages, fixed by the government for labourers/workers to the teachers of private schools during vacations. According to details, Um-ul-Baneen stated in her application that private schools were following a policy based on exploitation of teachers and are paying only Rs 3,500 to qualified teachers.
The teachers did not enjoy job security and were not allowed to sit on chair during the working hours. They were not paid any salary during vacation whereas full tuition fee for three months of summer vocation was being received in advance from the students.
Original degrees/certificates of those teachers were kept in possession to force them to work in the school against their will. No medical care or any retirement benefits were being provided to the teachers serving in private institutes. Secretary School Education and DPI (SE) reported that the private schools were registered under Punjab Private Educational Institutions (Promotion and Regulation) Ordinance, 1984 and the rules framed there under.
On the directions of CM, a committee had been constituted to formulate recommendations in respect of privately managed schools and the matter would be placed before the Provincial Cabinet after consulting all stakeholders. Ombudsman Punjab ordered Secretary Labour to design a plan for provision of medical care and pension benefits to teachers of private schools with the consultation of Punjab Employees Social Security Institution and Education Department.
He also ordered Secretary School Education and DPI (SE) to formulate recommendations for an amendment in the existing law and ensure that the teachers in private schools are paid salary above the minimum level of wages and no teacher is deprived of salary for the period of vacations.