The recent budget debate in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has exposed a troubling reality: politicians are more focused on imagined conquests of Islamabad than on serving the province's actual needs. One glaring example is the treatment of teachers in second-shift government schools and non-formal schools for girls, who are paid well below the minimum wage set for unskilled labour. This not only violates the province's own announced standards but also undermines the very foundation of education.
Teachers Paid Below Unskilled Labour Wage
The provincial government had set the pay for these teachers below the minimum wage fixed for unskilled workers. According to the budget debate, this discrepancy is a clear indicator of misplaced priorities. If the government mandates a certain minimum wage for even unskilled labour, paying teachers less than that sends a message that education is not a priority. These teachers are responsible for educating children, especially girls in fragile areas, and underpaying them is both unjust and counterproductive.
The situation is worsened by reports that these teachers face months of delays in receiving their salaries, often after repeated hurdles. A low salary is unjust; a delayed low salary is outright exploitation. No province can build its future by humiliating those tasked with educating its children.
Assembly Exposes Scale of Problem
The assembly debate has at least brought the issue to light. The government must now act immediately to correct this. Teachers should receive at least the minimum wage mandated by the province, and their salaries must be paid on time. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa needs to focus on the right priorities, and education must be one of them.
