Afghan refugees' teachers protest ‘abrupt layoffs’ by UNHCR in Peshawar

On Tuesday, hundreds of Pakistani teachers who have educated Afghan children in refugee camps for decades staged a protest against their unexpected layoff without any compensation. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) dismissed 291 teachers, including 100 men and 191 women, on October 31. These educators, who had devoted nearly four decades to their work, were informed of their termination through a single administrative decision, with no prior notice or financial relief.

The affected teachers hail from various districts, including Peshawar, Mardan, Timergara, Nowshera, Swabi, Haripur, Kohat, Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Hangu, Tall, Chakdara, and Jalala Shergarh. They demanded compensation and financial assistance for their long years of service. The protest was led by Tufail Ahmed and Farhana Durrani, the head of the women teachers.

Ahmed highlighted that the teachers had been deprived of medical allowances, other financial benefits, and gratuity despite their decades-long service in schools established in Afghan refugee camps. Durrani, who spent 35 years teaching Afghan children, expressed her frustration at being dismissed via a phone call following 35 years of dedicated service. Both teachers emphasized that their sudden dismissal had plunged hundreds of families into severe financial hardship, as many struggled to meet basic household expenses.

The protesters complained about the UNHCR office's refusal to listen to their grievances, even after repeated visits. They alleged that the office had closed its doors to them and had deployed police personnel to discourage further demonstrations, warning of potential violence. The teachers appealed to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi for intervention to secure relief for the affected educators and their families.

A significant number of young and elderly women teachers took part in the sit-in, demanding recognition of their decades of service and financial support following their dismissal.