The Balochistan government on Monday sacked at least 2,000 school teachers over absenteeism in the province, a statement said.

Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugto issued the termination orders at a meeting of the education department.

He instructed the chief secretary to submit an implementation report within one month.

The chief minister told the education department officials to appoint district education officers on a merit basis and promised that there would be no political interference in the department.

“But if even then a teacher is found absent, action will be taken against the education secretary,” the chief minister warned.

Bugti said the government was spending Rs72,000 on the education of each child in the province. With this much money, a child could study at an elite private school, he said.