ISLAMABAD: During the current year the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) has seen six directors general leave with the seventh one expected to take charge in the next two days.

Federal Directorate of Education looks after the affairs of 423 educational institutions in the capital.

These frequent changes have resulted in volatility in the administrative policy, badly affecting educational activities.

Sources in the Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) said senior officers at the division, who are supposed to play a role in appointing a permanent director general at FDE, lobby for themselves to take additional charge of FDE.

In February this year, then Secretary CADD removed DG Shahnaz A. Riaz. She was replaced by Professor Mahmood Akhtar Malik who was sent home after a few weeks. Then, Hafiz Sher Ali, Joint Secretary (CADD), took additional charge of DG FDE office.

A few days later, Joint Education Adviser (JEA) CADD Rafiq Tahir was given the additional charge of the DG’s post.

Six DGs have come and gone within the span of one year

Meanwhile, Shahnaz Riaz, in May acquired a stay order from the court and once again took charge of the DG office.

However, she could only hold office for a few weeks as the court, in a detailed judgment, rejected her claim to office.

Once again, Rafiq Tahir took the additional charge.

In August, it was additional secretary Qaiser Majeed Malik’s turn to take over the DG office. He is still holding this additional position.

However, sources said that now this additional responsibility is going to be handed over to a new officer of CADD. Amir Ashraf Khawaja, who was specially brought from National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA), will be running the affairs of FDE.

“I have reported to CADD and things will be clearer in the next two days,” Mr Khawaja told Dawn. Sources said that officers of CADD, despite efforts, cannot perform the functions of DG FDE properly as they are overstretched.

They are unable to find time to resolve the issues of thousands of teaching and non–teaching staff employed by the FDE. “The way to improve education in institutions under FDE is very simple - appointment of permanent DG,” said a senior officer of CADD.

He said according to rules, any previous director of FDE or any principal of a federal government college, with 17 years of teaching experience could be appointed permanent DG. Despite repeated attempts, State Minister for CADD Barrister Usman Ibrahim could not be contacted for his comments.

Published in Dawn, November 24th , 2014