ISLAMABAD: As summer vacation sets in and school teachers and their students embark on a well-deserved break, college teachers continue their teaching duties.
The teachers teaching the BS classes during summer vacation and doing other assignments in colleges have voiced their concerns regarding the disparity in “earned leave”.
They said it was the practice of education department that the teachers who remained present during summer vacation were granted earned leave for 48 days but unfortunately they were not granted earned leave for the last two years which is unfair.While other government servants are granted 48 days of earned leave annually, college teachers are only allowed 10 days, raising concerns of injustice and the potential for future leave encashment issues upon retirement.
College teachers who teach during this period argue that their continuous work during summer vacation makes them deserving of the same earned leave benefits as other government servants.
A disgruntled Associate Professor at H-8 College, who has diligently served during the summer vacation for the past two years, while talking to reporter expressed disappointment, stating, “I remained present throughout the summer vacation, fulfilling my teaching responsibilities, yet my earned leave was not credited for 48 days. This disparity could lead to difficulties in availing leave encashment upon my retirement, which feels unjust.”
Another aggrieved professor emphasized the need to remove the label of “vacation department” associated with the education department, stating, “As teachers work throughout the year, the colleges can no longer be considered a ‘vacation department.’ It is time to treat the college teachers on par with other government servants and grant them the full 48 days of earned leave.”
A female professor said, “The current system of earned leave is unjust and fails to acknowledge the efforts we put into teaching during the summer vacation.
By restricting our earned leave to only 10 days, the authorities are essentially penalizing us for our dedication. We deserve equal treatment and the opportunity to accumulate the same 48 days of earned leave as other government servants. It’s essential that the education department recognizes our contributions and rectifies this disparity.”
Dr. Nazir Ahmed Bhutta general secretary of the Federal Government College Teachers Association (FGCTA) urged the authorities to review the leave policy and align the earned leave entitlement for college teachers with that of other government servants. He argued that such a change would not only address the disparity but also ensure that teachers are not disadvantaged upon retirement.
President of FGCTA Dr Rahima Rehman stated, “The college teachers who work diligently throughout the year, including during the summer vacation, should be treated on par with the other government servants.” She believed that the 48 days of earned leave should be added to the leave accounts of the teachers, especially considering their commitment to teaching during the summer vacation period.