PROVINCE REPORT
PESHAWAR: Provincial President of the All Primary Teachers Association (APTA) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azizullah Khan, has accused the previous PTI government of subjecting primary school teachers to prolonged injustice, humiliation and neglect during its 14-year rule in the province.
Addressing a teachers’ delegation, he alleged that the cabinet-approved upgradation of primary school teachers was not implemented due to opposition from former Finance Adviser Muzammil Aslam.
He said teachers had staged repeated protests, including a five-day strike in October 2022 and a sit-in in 2024, to demand their legitimate rights. He also alleged that teachers faced tear gas shelling, baton charges and arrests during the 2022 protest.
Azizullah Khan recalled that the provincial cabinet unanimously approved teachers’ upgradation on January 17, 2023, with implementation scheduled from July 1, 2023. However, the decision remained unimplemented despite repeated assurances.
He said primary school teachers played a vital role in the education system and also performed additional duties for various government departments, including the Health Department, Bureau of Statistics and Election Commission.
He questioned the government’s repeated financial constraints argument, saying teachers deserved recognition, dignity and fair treatment for their services.
The APTA president reaffirmed that the association would continue its struggle for implementation of the approved upgradation, protection of teachers’ rights and restoration of their dignity until its demands were fulfilled.
