Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Like in the past, the key post of the Director General (DG) Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) remains vacant despite the passage of over a month and the routine work of the directorate is suffering heavily due to the unconditional delay.

As per information available with Daily Times, the post has been vacant since December 11 of last year when Shahnaz Raiz retired from the post on attaining the age of superannuation. Interestingly, her retirement notification was also issued by the Capital Administration and Development Division (CA&DD) almost one month before the date of the retirement.

Last month, CA&DD forwarded a proposal summary to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for his approval in this regard. In the summary, the name of additional secretary in the ministry, Zafar Nasrullah, was proposed for DG on additional charge. However, the summary has been rejected from the PM’s office, said the sources in the CA&DD.

A senior director in the FDE informed this scribe that the public as well routine work is suffering due to the unnecessary delay in the filling of this key post. “This is a public dealing entity and has a very important role in the education sector”, he said.

The FDE is the body that oversees 422 educational institutions including 20 model colleges. Over 1000 employees are being served by this entity and thousands of students are enrolled in its educational institutions.

The FDE official said that nobody in the authorities concerned paid heed toward the importance of the entity. “The authorities are busy in political point scoring. Even they staged a public gathering for formal inauguration just for handing over 35 buses to the schools/college administrations”, he commented.

As per service 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 shall be eligible for the promotion to the post of the DG FDE (BPS-20).

The seniority list of senior most directors in the FDE, reads that Muhammad Taj Bhatti and Tanvir Ahmed are included in this list respectively. Bhatti’s retirement is due after a couple of months and Ahmed is the official of the devolved ministry and has been absorbed permanently in the FDE. As per rules, the seniority of devolved ministries’ officials could not be mixed with the actual staff of any department.

However, Ahmed fulfils the other requirements of this slot. He holds the Senior Management Course (SMC) that is a mandatory requirement for the DG’s post nowadays.

In the past this post remained a musical chair. Several DGs were appointed and removed. Some of them served even for weeks. The lst retired DG Shahnaz Raiz 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 DG. Before the court’s orders, the CA&DD authorities had sent her to the National Institute of Science and Technical Education (NISTE).

Although, CA&DD restored her in compliance with the apex court’s directions, the prerogatives were not to transfer her. Throughout her service tenure after restoration by the court, Shahnaz was destitute for the CA&DD authorities even for the transfer of a peon. No official in the CA&DD including Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and media coordinator Atique were available to have their comments over the issue.