MIANWALI, Feb 22: The Mianwali district education department has given indiscriminate promotions to matriculate teachers working in basic pay scales between 7 and 9.

Virtually, the teachers are given a jump in the promotion to BPS 14 on the basis of improvement in educational qualifications.

Intriguingly, the department has reportedly promoted PTC, SV, DM and PET teachers after they produced degrees of ‘Shahadat-ul-Almia Filaloom-al-Arabia Wal Islamia’. The department considers this degree equivalent to MA Arabic and Islamiat on the basis of a notification issued by the University Grants Commission on Nov 17, 1982.

It may be mentioned that the Higher Education Commission does not acknowledge such degrees altogether.

Similarly, no other department has ever granted promotions or advanced increments making such degrees as validate.

Moreover, no educational institution or university, including Allama Iqbal Open University, has ever accommodated admission to any faculty on the ground of such degrees.

An inquiry reveals that such degrees are being issued by two institutions — Jamia Sirajia, Quaidabad in Khushab district, some 35kms from here, and Jamia Arabia Tabligh-ul-Islam, Moti Masjid, Mianwali.

During a meeting with Moti Masjid Mohtamim Sahibzada Abdul Jalil, it is transpired that degrees are actually being issued by Darul Aloom Islamia Anwar-ul-Aloom at Par Hoti, Mardan (NWFP).

Giving details, the Mohtamim has said the admission forms for the examination are sent to the Jamia twice a year. Forms can be dispatched even a week before the examination.

He further says that the institute dispatches roll number slips and question papers to candidates. They appear in the examination in his mosque at a fixed date while the whole examination is completed in a single day.

According to him, even candidates having no basic qualification are eligible to appear in the examination. And to cap it all, every candidate get through the examination with high percentage.

Meanwhile, the last such order of promotion has been issued as recently as on Jan 31, 2006.

To save his skin, Mianwali EDO (Education) Maqbool Shakir said that the DO (Education) was a competent authority for such promotions.

While DO (Education) secondary school Farooq Ahmed Khan said that he simply followed the in vogue practice of his predecessors.

He further said that he had no doubt on the validity of such promotions as per the UGC notification.

While the district accounts office was of the view that it was the responsibility of the education department to see the legality of such promotions.

The alarming aspect on the part of the education department is that the promotions were granted without verifying the genuineness of academic degrees of claimants.