Balkh: Ghost teachers will no longer receive salaries

MAZAR-I-SHARIF (Pajhwok): Ghost teachers and other employees would no longer be paid salaries and other privileges, Education Department officials in northern Balkh province warn.

Atta Mohammad Sharafyar, in charge of the oversight and registration branch of the department, told Pajhwok Afghan News the biometric process for teachers and other education workers had been successfully completed.

He said about 14,925 teachers and workers were covered by the biometric process. Some of the teachers and employees were left out for legal reasons, but the process would be brought to its logical end.

“As you know, a number of teachers have been appointed on the basis of fraud and forgery due to the absence of a biometric system. Until recently, such teachers easily received salaries and privileges,” he explained.

From now on, according to Sharafyar, each teacher/worker of the education department would receive salaries and privileges upon completing legal processes.

Jamila Ahmadzai, principal of the Shahid Zabihullah High School, expressed happiness over the biometric process. She hoped the move would help prevent embezzlement of funds and other illegal activities.

She told Pajhwok the biometric system would have a positive impact on several processes, such as hiring and payment of salaries.

In a number of schools, she alleged, principals had hired relatives as teachers,who shared salaries with them.Jamilacalled on the department to deal with the issue of ghost teachers in line with the law.

Rahimi, a teacher, believed the education system would become transparent with the introduction of the biometric system. Ghost teacher would no longer be able to draw salaries or other privileges, he claimed.

Other teachers held similar views about the new system.The education director said no ghost teacher had been found in the biometric process. However, he confirmed, there were many absentee teachers in the province.

sa/mud