PIERA’s indifference exposes female teachers to worst exploitation

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ISLAMABAD: Many private schools in Islamabad and around it, including residential societies like Rawalpindi, Taxila, and B17, have been transformed into the center of economic and professional exploitation for female teachers.

Young graduates, married women, and the only mothers working in these institutions face minor salaries, illegal deductions, lack of employment, and even male school owners.

Despite these widespread issues, the Regulatory Authority of Private Education (PERA) is indifferent, who have failed to inspect these institutions or address teachers’ concerns.

The unspecified extension of private schools, especially in residential areas, has resulted in unorganized employment methods.

Teachers complain that these schools pay them less than the minimum wage, often between Rs 18,000 and Rs 25,000, while students receive heavy tuition fees from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 per month.

Increasing their worries, these companies do not issue appointment letters or formal agreements, making it easier for teachers to eliminate without information.

“In the last two years, I have worked in five private schools, and they owe thousands of rupees, without any paperwork,” said a female teacher.

He further regretted that when teachers were fired verbally, they were refused to access the school premises to demand their free payments, while the owners and organizers refused to make their call.

Many female teachers working in these private schools have stories about exploitation. Without the benefits such as medical insurance or employment safety, they are often forced to work in poor conditions, taking more responsibilities in their job details.

Teachers also report that when they resign due to non -payment or abuse, schools refuse to issue their salary for the past one or two months, and put them in more financial problems.

Harassment and misuse of power: beyond economic exploitation, some female teachers have also been sexually harassed by school owners.

Another private school teacher said, “The owner of my school forced me to sit down with him, when I refused, I was assigned numerous works and exploited to that extent.

Many other teachers echoed his experience, describing an environment where male school owners misuse their authority to suffer from weak female employees who are in dire need of work.

Regulatory failure and lack of accountability: The plight of these teachers increases due to lack of regulatory mechanisms to remove their complaints. Body Para responsible for monitoring private schools has widely ignored the exploitation of female teachers. No attempt has been made to inspect salary structures, employment conditions, or the ability of the teaching staff.

Teachers say they have no official platform for seeking justice or demanding the recovery of their unpaid salaries.

To further worsen matters, private school owners’ associations, who are there to represent the interests of their members, have not worried about the welfare of teachers. Instead, these associations focus on protecting the financial interests of the school owners, and forcing women to stop teachers for themselves.

Authorities remain silent: Despite repeated efforts, Para Chairperson Dr. Sida Zia Batol did not respond to calls or messages to comment on the situation. Its silence is not ready to interfere with the regulatory authority’s non -practical and exploitation of teachers working in private schools.

The unpredictable growth of private schools in Islamabad and its adjoining areas creates a toxic work environment for female teachers, where they are lowered, harassed and deprived of their basic rights.

Without regular surveillance and legal protection, thousands of women live at the mercy of school owners who prefer more profits than human dignity.

Education experts have warned that unless the authorities take meaningful action, female teachers will be trapped in a system that exploits them, neither offers dignity nor offers security.