ISLAMABAD: While the federal government is carrying out reforms in the education sector of Islamabad, there is no director general (DG) to oversee the affairs of educational institutions in the capital.

On February 1, Moin Ahmed Wani was removed from the post of the director general Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) on the directions of the Supreme Court.

Mr Wani, a grade 19 officer of the customs group, was appointed as the FDE chief - a grade 20 post - in violation of rules a few months ago. His appointment was challenged by his predecessor, Dr Shahnaz A. Riaz.

The apex court had directed the Capital Administration and Development Division to appoint an officer of grade 20 from the education sector as the FDE head. However, the post has not been filled so far.

Officials say delay in hiring of new DG is affecting a number of initiatives in educational institutions

Under the Prime Minister’s Educational Reforms Programme, the government is taking several initiatives to bring changes to Islamabad’s public sector education that include upgradation/renovation of all the institutions besides making appointment of new teachers. Two days ago, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also launched Montessori classes in a government school in the capital.

But sources told Dawn that in the absence of the DG, schools were suffering a lot. “There is no one to listen to our issues, and in the absence of the DG, the FDE directors are not paying any heed towards the problems being faced by the school heads,” said the principal of a school.

Meanwhile, an officer in the FDE said routine work had almost halted in the directorate. “We were supposed to monitor the educational institutions by launching a centralised IT project but work on the project has been stopped. Promotion cases of teachers are also pending,” the officer said, adding the creation of new posts of teachers was also delayed.

A meeting of the departmental promotion committee to promote teachers from grade 17 to 18 was scheduled to be held on February 8 but it was postponed due to the absence of the DG.

Out of the 422 educational institutions in the capital, renovation/maintenance work on 22 has been completed while work on the remaining will start soon. Prime Minister’s Nawaz Sharif’s daughter Maryam Nawaz is overseeing the project.

“I agree in the absence of the DG work is suffering at the FDE but there is not a crisis-like situation because the joint secretary (education) of CADD deals with all the urgent matters,” said an officer of CADD who requested not to be named.

Interestingly, CADD had on Thursday conducted interviews of senior principals for appointing one of them as the director general FDE. However, on Friday, Secretary CADD Khalid Hanif was made an officer on special duty (OSD).

An official of CADD said the names of Ali Ahmed Kharal (the principal of IMCB G-10), Sammar Zafar, (principal College of Home Economics and Management Sciences F-7), Dr Shahnaz Riaz (former DG FDE and current deputy DG National Institute of Science and Technology) and Jalal Ahmed, another school principal, had been short listed.

“I was to finalise three names for sending them to the prime minister but when I heard about my transfer, I closed the file. Now, my successor will complete the task,” said the outgoing secretary CADD.

There were reports that Secretary Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training Hassan Iqbal has been appointed as the new secretary CADD.

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2016