UNHCR Teachers Protest Layoffs After Decades of Service
The UNHCR teachers protest saw hundreds of Pakistani teachers who provided education to Afghan children in refugee camps for decades demonstrate in Peshawar on Tuesday against what they called abrupt layoffs without prior notice or financial relief.
As many as 291 teachers, who have been providing education to Afghan children under the auspices of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for the past 35 to 40 years, have been laid off. The affected teachers include 100 men and 191 women. Women therefore make up about two thirds of the dismissed group, a detail that shapes the protest itself, where a large number of young and elderly women teachers took part in the sit-in.
The dismissed teachers were reportedly dismissed from service on 31 October. They belong to Peshawar, Mardan, Timergara, Nowshera, Swabi, Haripur, Kohat, Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Hangu, Tall, Chakdara and Jalala Shergarh, a spread that shows how wide the refugee camp school network once ran across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Four decades of service, ended by one decision
The protest was led by Tufail Ahmed and Farhana Durrani, who heads the women teachers. Addressing the protesters, Ahmed said they had devoted nearly four decades of their lives to educating Afghan children in refugee camps but had been dismissed through a single administrative decision without any notice or relief.
He said the teachers had already been deprived of medical allowances, other financial benefits and gratuity despite serving in schools established in Afghan refugee camps for decades.
“We served the institution for four decades, but were sent home at the stroke of a pen without any compensation or relief,” he said.
Durrani said she had spent 35 years teaching Afghan children and had worked tirelessly to fulfil her responsibilities. “After 35 years of dedicated service, the UNHCR sent us home through a single phone call, without providing any financial relief,” she said.
The protesters said the sudden termination of their employment had pushed hundreds of families into severe financial difficulties, with many struggling to meet even basic household expenses. For teachers near the end of long careers, the loss is not only a job but also the benefits they say they never received along the way.
The UNHCR teachers protest appeal to the governor
The protesters complained that despite repeatedly visiting the UNHCR office to present their grievances, no official was willing to hear them or engage in dialogue. They further alleged that instead of addressing their concerns, the office had closed its doors to them and deployed police personnel outside, with protesters being warned of a possible baton charge.
They appealed to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi to intervene and play his role in securing relief for the affected teachers and their families.
The protest also raises a wider question about the camp schools themselves. For 35 to 40 years, Pakistani teachers staffed classrooms for Afghan children in refugee camps, a task that sat between humanitarian work and public education. The layoffs end that arrangement for 291 teachers at once, and the protesters are asking for recognition of decades of service and financial assistance following their dismissal.
No response from UNHCR to the protesters’ demands was reported in the coverage of the protest. The teachers’ demand is straightforward: compensation and relief for service that, in their account, was given without the benefits that normally accompany it.
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The protest comes as the US planned to deport nearly 200 Afghans through Pakistan, the Sindh opposition sought a probe into minor girls cases, the Hina Javed family rejected a fresh probe, and a committee warned GSP+ access is at risk.
Frequently asked questions
How many teachers were laid off by UNHCR?
As many as 291 teachers were laid off, including 100 men and 191 women, after providing education to Afghan children in refugee camps for 35 to 40 years.
When were the teachers dismissed?
The teachers were reportedly dismissed from service on 31 October, and protested in Peshawar on Tuesday against the layoffs.
What are the teachers demanding?
The dismissed teachers demanded compensation and financial relief for their decades of service, and recognition of their work in refugee camp schools.
Which districts do the teachers come from?
They belong to Peshawar, Mardan, Timergara, Nowshera, Swabi, Haripur, Kohat, Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Hangu, Tall, Chakdara and Jalala Shergarh.
Who have the protesters appealed to?
The protesters appealed to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi to intervene and help secure relief for the affected teachers and their families.
