Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Thursday, March 28th, 2024

MPs to Govt.: Meet Legal Demands of Protesting Teachers

MPs to Govt.: Meet Legal  Demands of Protesting Teachers

KABUL - Some Wolesi Jirga or lower house members on Saturday asked the government to meet legitimate demands of protesting teachers.

Teachers in 19 provinces have been on strike since Monday demanding increase in their salaries and allotment of residential plots. As a result, a number of schools have been shut.

The striking teachers have accused the president of dragging feet on his election campaign promises. President Ghani had promised to allocate land plots to130,000 teachers in all provinces within six months of his government.

Eng. Zakreya, a lawmaker from Kabul, told the national assembly that the government leaders had made numerous promises with people but failed to honour any.

He said the education process would face problems if teachers continued their strike because more teachers would also join them. “Empty promises of the government leaders are pushing Afghanistan into a crisis,” Zakreya said.

His colleague Baktash Seyawash said teachers were tired waiting for the government to implement its promises. He said the government had promised many things but would not act to implement them.

Seyawash asked the Wolesi Jirga Administrative Board to debate the issue in a general session because it was affecting thousands of students.

First Deputy Speaker Haji Zahir Qadir, who presided over the session, said the government leaders should pay attention to problems facing teachers and students for the sake of its own interest.

“Legal demands of teachers should be addressed because teachers have an important responsibility of training the new generation,” he said.

He directed the education and religious affairs commission to add the issue to the house general agenda and find a solution to it.

Ministry of Education officials have said they were working to solve teachers’ problems. The education minister had said teachers’ problems relating to the ministry would be solved promptly. (Pajhwok)