BAHAWALPUR: The Cholistan Development Authority (CDA), Bahawalpur and the Punjab Education Foundation (PEF) handed over the administration of 72 government community primary schools to the 144 female teachers already employed at these institutions.

CDA Literacy Coordinator Mukhtar Ahmed told Dawn on Wednesday that the teachers had been given an option by the government to either run these schools themselves with the PEF financial assistance or work under the non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

The PEF would pay the schools Rs550 monthly for every student enrolled there.

Mr Ahmed said the PEF had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoUs) with the female teachers, who would be responsible for running their respective schools where they were already employed.

He said 31 of these schools were located in Cholistan desert, touching the revenue boundaries of Bahawalnagar and Rahim Yar Khan districts, while the remaining 41 fell within the jurisdiction of Bahawalpur district.

The teachers had opposed the CDA`s plan to handover the schools to NGOs. Later, the CDA and provincial governmentdecided to give an option to the teachers to run these schools themselves, which they accepted.

The coordinator said the CDA had also planned 25 more mobile schools to be funded by the PEF in the desert area where 10 such institutions were already functioning.

He added that male teachers would be given a similar option to run the schools in desert area in due course of time.

The mobile primary schools had been planned to cater to educational needs of the population migrating within the region due to drought or harsh weather conditions.

RALLY: The lowergrade employees of the government departments under the aegis of the All Pakistan Clerks Association (Apca) took out a rally to press for the acceptance of their demands, including upgrade of their pay scales.

The rally led by Apca provincial secretary general Fakhur Rehman Azhar started from the office of chief executive officer (CEO) of the district education authority (DEA).

Raising slogans against the government and in favour of their demands, the rally participants walked on the Railway Road up to Seraiki Chowk where their leaders delivered speeches.

They vowed to continue their struggle till the acceptance of their demands.