Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Despite directions from the Capital Administration and Development Division (CA&DD), the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) has failed to provide details of the activities of various associations, Daily Times has learnt reliably.

In a letter, the ministry directed the FDE authorities to provide comprehensive details about the activities of various employee associations functioning in the directorate. Besides the directorate itself, these associations are scattered in all the 422 educational institutions of the FDE.

The CA&DD letter to the FDE states: “Provide the nomenclature of all associations/unions of teaching and non-teaching staff presently operating in educational institutions under the FDE or within the FDE in any form whatever along with the names designation and BPS.

The CA&DD letter also sought the copies of the certificates of registration at the relevant forum and proof of recognition by CA&DD.”

It also directed the FDE to provide the copies of permission letters granted by the competent authority to contest elections and the dates of expiry of their current elected tenure.

The ministry further directed the FDE that it should also clarify whether activities of all such unions as well as of those swearing allegiance with them, were strictly governed in terms of relevant provisions contained for associations and civil servants, in the civil service rules 1964.

Despite the passage of three months the FDE authorities paid no heed in this regard. Moreover, some reminders were also issued but in vain.

According to sources in the FDE, the CA&DD wrote letters in following some alleged irregularities and corruption by the representatives of some associations.

The officials said that they used their union platforms while embarking on corruption and irregularities. He quoted the example of the non-teaching staff President, Sardar Sidique, who was lower staff employee yet he was availing the benefits of two government services at the same time.

He said that an inquiry committee was also been constituted but Sidique allegedly, while using his union president’s post succeeded in either stopping the committee’s proceeding or in concealing the findings of the committee.

The official further disclosed that teachers were holding several administrative slots in violation of the rules. He alleged that the teacher unions used to pressurise the administration for induction of teachers to admn positions

According to the service recruitment rules, the teachers could not be posted against the administrative positions as their appointments were made purely for the academic purpose. Currently around 17 teachers are serving against the various administrative slots in the directorate. Some teachers were repatriated to their schools/colleges around two months ago when the issue was highlighted in Daily Times.

On the other hand the union representatives said that the formulation of unions was their constitutional right and if anybody was involved in corruption or any sort of irregularity in his/her personal capacity, then the union should not be held responsible.

The elected president of the Teaching Union, Malik Ameer, told this scribe that the purpose of the union’s formulations was to work for the employees’ welfare, adding that the constitution of the unions was a legal provision.

“The Teaching Union is not only striving for the teachers’ welfare but also for the betterment of the students, Amir said adding that through the union platforms they used to present the teachers and students issues in the courtesy of high-ups”.

Despite repeated calls and text messages to the Joint secretary CA&DD and the Director General FDE Ayesha Farooq, they could not be reached for their comments.