Islamabad : As many as 202 Senior Computer Teachers (SCTs) have been waiting for their salaries which have been pending for the last seven months. The SCTs were hired in 2018 under a Technical Assistance Program and placed in Girl’s Educational Institutions (Primary to Graduate) operational under the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE). The project title was “ICT for GIRLS”. The main idea of the project was to impart ICT education to girl students with the aim to reduce gender disparity and bring female students at par with their male counterparts in the field of ICT.
The project ended on 20th January 2022 with remarkable outcomes and the teachers were asked by the administration verbally to continue rendering their valuable services as the project had been extended for further 3 years. The SCTs claim they have not been paid since January this year. Non-payment of salaries has made it difficult to support their families. Moreover, they don’t have enough money to commute to their respective schools daily due to the higher fare of public transport.
An SCT on the condition of anonymity said, “I am the sole breadwinner of my family. My parents have passed away and I don’t have money to feed my younger brothers and sisters and bear their school expenses fees.
I have been borrowing money from my relatives to keep the relationship of body and soul together. My family is almost facing starvation as our kitchen sometimes has nothing to cook. Under such conditions how can I perform my duties efficiently? She lamented.
“I have not been paid for seven months. My husband doesn’t have any job and I am unable to pay my children’s school fees, rent, and medical bills of my family. It has become difficult for me to support my family without money.
We are working tirelessly with zeal and zest for the cause of education but unfortunately, FDE is not taking any steps to release our salaries, regretted a teacher of a local school.
Anum Kaleem, Joint Secretary of the Federal Government College Teachers Association (FGCTA) urged the authorities to pay the salaries of the teachers in arrears promptly to give them relief from their financial worries.
The SCTs have appealed to the minister to ensure the issue of their salary and take action against the administration that landed them in financial trouble.
