President Asif Ali Zardari said the government has been responsive to challenges in way of ameliorating the lot of teachers and has taken a number of measures for the betterment of teachers.

In a message on the occasion of World Teachers Day, he said teachers help shape destinies of nations, they are building blocks of society and are frontline soldiers in the battle for hearts and minds. “Take a Stand for Teachers!” therefore is the most appropriate theme of the World Teachers Day this year as it calls for standing up for a rightful place for them in society,” he added.
Unfortunately, however, teachers and the teaching profession have not been accorded the importance it deserves, he said adding as a result of this neglect quality teachers who are imbued with devotion and missionary zeal are in short supply.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf said the present democratic government has undertaken far reaching steps to improve lot of the teaching community.
In his message on World Teachers Day, he said raise in salaries of all public sector employees including teachers by the government during the last five budgets is yet another step aimed at improving their standard of living.
The government also upgraded the positions of teachers working under Federal Directorate of Education in addition to other facilities, he added. He said, “I still feel that there is a lot that needs to be done in this regard. On the World Teachers Day, let us pledge to make welfare of teachers the centre of public policy agenda.”