Ghanche students protest against shortage of school teachers  

GILGIT: Scores of students from various government schools in the Balghar area of Ghanche district, Gilgit-Baltistan, held a protest on Thursday against the shortage of teaching staff in their schools.

The protesting students, joined by their parents and members of the Balghar Students’ Association, blocked the Siachen Highway at the Daghoni RCC Bridge, demanding immediate action to address the issue.

The protestors expressed frustration over the absence of teachers, stating that several educators had been transferred to other schools, leaving their institutions understaffed. As a result, the quality of education in the area has been severely compromised, putting the future of the students at risk.

Chanting slogans and holding placards, the students emphasized that they were left with no choice but to take to the streets to urge the authorities to take swift measures. “We are being deprived of our right to education due to the lack of teachers,” said one of the protesting students.

Also read: Over 100 student protesters arrested in Rawalpindi

Speaking to HUM News English, Deputy Director of Education (DDE) Mumtaz Hussain claimed that the issue had been resolved and the protestors had dispersed. He claimed that the protest was politically motivated, asserting there was no real shortage of teachers in the area.

According to him, six contingent teachers were recently appointed in Daghoni, a neighboring village, which led the people of Balghar to demand the same for their schools.

The DDE confirmed that approval had been obtained for the recruitment of four additional teachers for the schools in Balghar, after which the protest was called off.

“I had informed them that I was in Gilgit to secure the necessary approvals, but they chose to protest instead of waiting for my return,” he added.

The temporary closure of the Siachen Highway due to the protest caused inconvenience for travelers, but the situation was resolved following the approval for the recruitment of more teachers.