While we laud women in the police force and civil services for skillfully juggling motherhood and their services to the nation, a school in Mianwali feels otherwise. District Education Officer (DEA) Mianwali suspended a female teacher for bringing her baby to work.
In a country where the gender gap in the workplace is already large, educational institutions are making it harder for women in the workforce. Ishrat Sattar had been employed at the school located at Tehsil Piplan District of Mianwali.
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It wasn’t exactly the school that suspended the school teacher but rather the DEA of Mianwali. The DEA came to the school for a surprise inspection and suspended Ishrat Sattar for having brought her infant to work.
According to Ishrat’s suspension notification;
“She was found playing with her child and has been suspended for inefficiency and misconduct.”
When this news hit the Internet, Twitter was livid. Netizens demanded that Ishrat Sattar be given the same appreciation for juggling motherhood and her services to the nation, as Peshawar Additional Commissioner, Sara Tawab, and Sheikhupura Assistant Superintendent Police (ASP), Aisha Butt.
Under the hashtag #FemaleTeacherSuspension Twitterati pointed out that these high ranking officers were admired for bringing her child to work and promoting female participation in the workplace. Meanwhile, Ishrat Sattar was reprimanded for the same.
https://twitter.com/ali_zarwan/status/1310725104024915968
https://twitter.com/zihnBtt/status/1310562345400365063
https://twitter.com/zl7QJxRn17Umf5x/status/1310704071876268034
People called on the Prime Minister and Punjab Education authorities to take notice of the decision.
Treat your teachers with dignity
One Natio,Dual Standard law 🤔🤔
We Reject This Mentality#FemaleTeacherSuspension https://t.co/vtJq0jot8e— Saeed Malik (@SaeedMalik12) September 29, 2020
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Netizens even pointed out how when New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Arden brought her baby to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). No one said that was a case of ‘inefficiency and misconduct’.
Let Women Fly With Their Responsibilities So You will Get PM of PAKISTAN Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed & Newzealand PM Jacinda Ardern at the End…😍🙂#FemaleTeacherSuspension pic.twitter.com/1EmfJNek7h
— Nimmz__🦋 (@zai_saysss) September 28, 2020
https://twitter.com/Catsbae1/status/1310804376672403457
It is hoped that better sense prevails. Perhaps the teacher did not have anyone else to look after her child. Nonetheless, suspending her on the spot seems unnecessarily harsh and unfair.
What do you think?
I do not agree with the decision.Women employees should be allowed to bring their babies at place of work or proper day care facilities be provided by the employer.
The teacher must be given appreciation for her determination to carry on with so many responsibilities & the dumb officer who suspended her should terminated . Our system needs to be cleaned of such sick minded people
Ye zulm hy teacher k sath. Jb wo dsp lady bacha sath lai thi to usko appreciate kia aur teacher ko suspend. Dohra qanon hy es mulk m.