The classes, which are held under the afternoon shift in government schools in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region of Pakistan, might soon be suspended as teachers have stopped taking classes due to non-payment of salaries.

The provincial education department started the classes in the second shift in September 2021 to promote education and reduce the dropout ratio. Schools with more than 60% enrollment were included in the second shift programme, reports Geo News.

At present, 80,000 to 100,000 children are studying in the afternoon classes.

The programme was partially suspended in January 2023 as the former government ended the afternoon classes in 167 primary, middle, and higher secondary schools in different districts, reports Geo News.

In January 2023, the previous government had also directed the education officers concerned not to demand their salaries.

Sources told the newspaper that as many as 8,000 teachers part of the second shift programme have been deprived of salaries for four months.