ISLAMABAD: Political, social and legal barriers instituted by various governments and education managers prevent development of teachers` associations resulting in weakened capacity to act as constructive agents in the reforms process, says a report on the role of teachers` union launched on Tuesday.

The report `Reclaiming Dignity: The State of Teachers` Unions and Their Future` called on government and unions to collaborate on education reforms.

The study, launched by Alif Alan, said currently 17 teachers` associations as well as 28 factions were representingteachersin the country.

It highlighted that these unions were primarily focused on service terms and conditions, sometimes at the expense of students` well-being.

`There is a huge gap between the education department and teachers and between parents and teachers,` said MNA Shaista Pervaiz who is also the general secretary of Women`s Parliamentary Caucus.

`The government and unions need to work together to lay the foundation of the future of our children,` she said.

`Teachers`unions need to focus their energies on developing their institutional capacity in districts, said anchorperson Talat Hussain.

`After the local government elections, this localising of the discourse may become inevitable,` he said.

The report said with 700,000 teachers in public schools, teachers constitute Pakistan`s largest workforce and education reform debate is unbalanced unless teachers` unions and associations are recognised as agents of change rather than blockers.

The report said all unions complained that teachers were burdened with non-teaching duties which consumed most of their time.

They also cited lack of investment in teachers` training and poor physical working conditions as factors hindering the performance of teachers. A Reporter