Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: While the authorities are reportedly busy in enhancing the educational standards in the capital with billions of rupees from the Prime Minister Education Reforms Programme, the key post of the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE)’s Chief is lying vacant for over four months.

According to information available, the post has been vacant from December 11 of the last year when Shahnaz Raiz retired from the post on attaining the age of superannuation. Her retirement notification was issued by the Capital Administration and Development Division (CA&DD) almost one month before the date of the retirement. Despite that the authorities are paying no heed toward filling the key slot.

Joint Secretary CA&DD Ayesha Farooq was given the additional charge of DG, FDE but recently she has been repatriated to her parent department the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on a directive by the Prime Minister’s office. Farooq was serving on deputation in the CA&DD.

One can notice the priorities of the authorities concerned, as Farooq served as the DG for over a month even without any formal notification. “She took the charge on a verbal saying by the PM’s office”, said an official of the ministry.

In an informal meeting with reporters on March 3, the CA&DD Minister Dr.Tariq Fazal Chauhdry said that the FDE’s chief would be appointed very soon.

Chaudhry very confidently said that that the slot would not only will be filled soon but also on merit. “An eligible person for the post will be selected”, he had claimed.

On the other hand well informed sources in the CA&DD said that the ministry did not forward the panel of names for the purpose. As per rules, the CA&DD forwarded the summary of a few names and the prime minister gave it the final approval.

As per service recruitment rules, the appointment for the post of the DG, FDE, should be made through promotion for which persons such as either a ‘Director (BPS-19)’ or ‘Principal of a Degree College (BPS-19)’ with a minimum of 17 years teaching/administrative experience is eligible for the promotion to the post of the DG FDE (BPS-20).

There are around 2000 employees serving in 422 educational institutions. The FDE is the responsible body to overlook the educational and other sort of activities of all these institutions. All kinds of affairs of these institutions according to an official in the FDE, are badly suffering due to the non-availability of the departmental head.

He said that there were several official matters’ whose approval purely falls in the prerogative of the DG, adding that the remaining vacant slot ultimately puts adverse impacts on the academic activities in the education sector of the capital.

In the past this post remained a musical chair. Several DGs were appointed and removed. Some of them served even for weeks.

The last retired DG Shahnaz Riaz was appointed thrice on the post when she won a legal battle in the Supreme Court. The apex court ordered for her early restoration against the post of the DG. Before the court’s orders, the CA&DD authorities had sent her to the National Institute of Science and Technical Education (NISTE).

Riaz was an official of the administrative cadre. The teachers demanded that the DG should be appointed from the teaching side as the rules provided them this right.

The Federal Teachers Association, President Malik Ameer, told this correspondent that the authorities concerned should prepare a panel of the senior most principals.

“The panel should be reviewed thoroughly and a final nominee for the post should be vetted on an immediate basis”, Ameer suggested.

He also expressed concerns over the remaining vacant post for such a long time. Like many other officials, Ameer also linked the delay with the suffering of routine official work.