September 19, 2007	Wednesday	Ramazan 06, 1428

MIANWALI, Sept 18: Four teachers having Master of Arts (Arabic) from the Punjab University have approached the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) for being ignored for promotion while their colleagues having seminary degrees were promoted to pay scale 17. The ACE has started a probe into the matter.

Twelve secondary school teachers (SSTs) of PS 16 were recommended for promotion to scale 17. Among them was Sarfraz Khan, physical education teacher (PET), who was posted at the University of Education as an Arabic teacher. But Sibghatullah Shah of Mianwali Government Comprehensive High School, having an MA in Arabic degree from the PU was ignored for promotion. Shah moved the ACE, pleading that how a PET could be promoted on the basis of a seminary degree.

Another complainant, Altafullah Khan, senior vernacular (SV) teacher at Mianwali Government High School, pleaded that he was promoted from grade nine to 14 because of his seminary degree but after a few months, the department demoted him to grade nine. He said PET Syed Muhammad Tariq Shah of the same school having the seminary degree was promoted. He said he had approached the education executive district officer (EDO) but he did not listen to him.

Two other teachers, Abdul Ghani Khan, drawing master (DM) of Mianwali Government Central Model High School, and Muhammad Younas Kalyar of Mianwali Government High School, have also approached the AEC challenging promotions on seminary degrees.

The demand for ‘Shahadatul Alamia’ degree has increased here after the Education Department promoted teachers having such degrees.

Dawn learnt some local seminaries were “selling” degrees issued by an unrecognised seminary, Ittehadul Madaris of Par Hoti, Mardan. The degrees issued by seminaries of Qaidabad and Mianwali can be bought for Rs2,000 to Rs4,000.

Dawn also learnt that no other department except the local Education Department accepted the seminary degree for appointment or promotion.

Complainants told Dawn that the district education officer and the education EDO had not promoted teachers on merit.

An education official, requested not to be quoted, said if the case was probed impartially, all teachers promoted on seminary degrees would be demoted.

An insider of the Education Department said mostly office-bearers of teachers’ unions had got seminary degrees in back dates and had got promotions receiving arrears in thousands of rupees.

In the past, an EDO promoted eight teachers, including three females, in back dates. Those teachers include: Syed Muhammad Tariq Shah, PET of Mianwali High School; Muhammad Ramzan of Kundian Higher Secondary School; Muhammad Khalid Masood, PET of Mianwali Comprehensive High School; Attaullah Malik of Mianwali Central Model High School; Haif Ziaul Mustafa of Mari Indus High School; Imroz Aziz of Dilleywali Girls’ High School; Tahira Fatima of Shadia Girls’ High School; and Nasim Akhtar of Piplan Girls’ High School.

Muhammad Rashid Chaudhry, admin director (secondary schools) at the Directorate of Public Relations, said PETs and DMs were not entitled to get promotion because of seminary or on any other degree other than their professional degrees.

The Higher Education Commission (HEC), in a letter issued on June 20, 2006, denied validity of Sanads or degrees issued by the Ittehadul Madaris, Mardan.

The HEC only recognises Sanads issued by Wafaqul Madaris al Arabia; Tanzeemul Madaris Barelvi; Wafaqul Madaris al Salfia; Jamiaul Taleematul Islamia, Faisalabad; Wafaqul Madaris of Shia; Jamia Ashrafia, Lahore; Darul Aloom Muhammadia Ghausia, Bhera; Darul Aloom, Karachi; Rabita ul Madaris al Islamia, Lahore; and Jamia Minhajul Quran, Lahore.

The ‘Shahadatul Alamia’ degree is equivalent to MAs in Arabic and Islamiat which can be achieved after qualifying Shahadatul Sanvia al Aama (matriculation), two years course of ‘Shahadatul Sanvia Al Khasa’ (intermediate), two-year study of ‘Shahadatul Alia’ (BA) and finally passing Shahadatul Alamia and Shahadatul Tajwid.

District Coordination Officer Babar Shafi said he had stopped promotions of all teachers having seminary degrees from Ittehadul Madaris, Mardan, and that eight seats of SSTs (Arabic) were vacant.

An Education Department official, refusing to be named, said over 125 teachers had been appointed Arabic teachers on the basis of seminary degrees and most of them did not know Arabic.

Teachers unions say if Sanads made legislators to sit in assemblies, why teachers could not get promotions on these Sanads.