Strike Enters 4th Day as 298 Karak Teachers Suspended

APP

Peshawar: The province-wide strike of primary school teachers in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP), demanding upgradation and additional incentives, entered its fourth consecutive day on Friday, halting educational activities across primary schools.

Protesting teachers assembled in front of Jinnah Park, vowing to continue their demonstration until their demands are met. In response, the KP Education Department issued suspension orders for 298 primary school teachers from Karak district who participated in the protests and failed to report for duty.

The provincial government has taken a firm stance, preparing a document under Article 25-A to suspend all teachers on strike who refuse to return to work. Charge sheets and a list of allegations will also be issued to the suspended teachers.

President of the All Primary Teachers Association, Aziz Ullah Khan, condemned the suspensions as unjustified, emphasizing that the orders would not deter teachers from pressing for their “rightful demand” for upgradation and other missing incentives.

He pointed out that former KP Chief Minister Mahmood Khan had announced an upgradation for primary school teachers, but no progress has been made since.

The ongoing protest has led to the closure of approximately 26,000 schools across the province, impacting millions of students and highlighting critical issues within KP’s education system.

The strike reflects teachers’ frustration with unmet promises and what they view as a lackluster approach from the KP government.

In 2014, the then-PTI-led KP government declared an “Educational Emergency” aimed at overhauling the education sector.

Nearly a decade later, however, the teachers’ strike underscores persistent challenges and raises questions about the provincial government’s commitment to educational reform.