Community Schools in FATA will seize to exist after opening of formal schools: Senate told

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Education and Professional Training Muhammad Baligh Ur Rehman Wednesday said the Basic Education Community Schools would seize to exist immediately after the opening of formal schools in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).

Responding to a calling attention notice of Hidayat Ullah in the Senate regarding the low salaries of teachers working in Basic Education Community Schools and non regularization of their services, the minister said the teachers at the community schools teachers were being paid only honoraria and not salaries.

He said the community schools were working a multi-grade teaching system. "One teacher teaches various classes under one roof. They were paid Rs 2,400 as salary in the year 2013, which was enhanced to Rs 2,800 per month and then Rs 5,000 per month in 2013. In July 2017, the honoraria was further enhanced to Rs 8,000."

He said there was no question of the regularization of Community School teachers, as they were only working as makes-shift arrangements and their services would be ended immediately after opening of formal schools in their respective areas.

Earlier, Senator Hidayatullah said as many as 800 teachers were teaching in 400 Basic Education Community Schools in FATA. They were only being paid Rs 8,000 per month which was violation of government rules. Their services should be regularized. They must be paid at least Rs 15,000 per month salary.