TIMERGARA/KARAK: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Colleges Teachers Association (KPCTA), Lower Dir unit, on Wednesday observed the World Teachers Day as `black day` by demonstrating against the provincial government for its failure to upgrade the college teachers.

Dozens of teachers of Postgraduate College, Timergara, led by their president Prof Ihsanullah boycotted classes and came on the road. Carrying banners and placards, the college teachers marched on the road from Balambat to Timergara Press Club.

KPCTA Lower Dir president Prof Ihsanullah, vice president Prof Noor Hassan, general secretary Prof Jamshid Khan and Prof Nasir Jalil spoke on the occasion. They alleged that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had been unfairly treating the colleges` teachers compared to university teachers. They said the then prime minister Shaukat Aziz had on Oct 5,2005 announced upgradation of all teachers.

They said the higher education department immediately implemented it for universities teachers but college teachers were still deprived of upgradation.

They said the discriminatory attitude of the government forced college teachers to mark the day as `black day` in all colleges of Lower Dir. The speakers announced to continue class boycott if the government failed to meet their sole demand.

Later, the association`s vice president Prof Noor Hassan told Dawn that teachers of government postgraduate college, Timergara, government degree colleges of Gulabad, Khan Pur, Samarbagh and Lal Qila also observed the day as black day to convey their message of disappointment to the rulers.

Mr Hassan said the college teachers had also rejecte d installation of biometric system at colleges as it showe d the management`s distrust in the teaching community. He said the government should make the system as per their job requirements. He said they were not against the biometric system, but the government should make it flexible according to the nature of their jobs.

Meanwhile, Malik Pardis Khan Memorial Trust, a non-government organisation, arranged a function at Malikabad Balambat to observe the `Salam Teachers` Day`The function was attended by in-service and retired teachers and educationists.

The speakers said teachers were respectable citizens of Pakistan because of their sacred profession. They said that educational institutions were factories of students` character building. They demanded of the government to specify teachers` uniform so all citizens could easily recognise and respect them.

Also in the day, Commandant Dir Task Force Colonel Khalid Mehmood Shafi visited government high school, Bandai Maidan, and inspected the ongoing construction work on its building. The school was blown up by militants in 2009. The World Teachers` Day was also observed in Karak district, where best teachers were given prizes and awards. In this regard, a ceremony was held at official colony`s primary school which was chaired by assistant district officer education Faizullah Jan Khattak.

On the occasion, the education officer said the commendation certificates awarded to the best teachers were recognition of their outstanding performances in the field.

However, he stressed on the teachers to devote them to their primary job of teaching, asking them hold debates and parents` day functions on monthly and annual basis to encourage.

Jan Khattak also highlighted role of teachers in development of society and said such figures were always respected.