ISLAMABAD: The Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) has decided to refer cases of daily-wage teaching and non-teaching staff in BPS-1 to 15 to the education ministry which will forward it to cabinet for approval to regularise them.

Sources in the FDE said a summary has been prepared that will be sent to the federal cabinet through the ministry for approval to decide the fate of daily wage employees who have been seeking the regularisation of their services for nearly a decade.

They said a separate summary is being prepared for those in BPS-16 and above, to take the matter up with the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC).

Separate summary being prepared for employees in BPS-16 and above to be taken up with FPSC

“We will implement IHC orders in letter and spirit. We will forward the case to the cabinet and the FPSC,” Education Joint Secretary Umair Ahmed said.

Mr Ahmed, who holds additional charge as the FDE director general, said all the cases would be decided in accordance with last year’s Islamabad High Court judgement.

Sources in the directorate said there are more than 1,100 teaching and non-teaching staff in BPS-1 to 15 whose cases have been finalised in the shape of a summary for the cabinet.

“We are also finalising lists of employees working in BPS-16 and above which, after the consent of the education ministry, are likely to be sent to the FBSC,” a source said.

Daily wage teachers have been protesting for regularisation for several years. The longstanding issue, involving more than 1,500 employees, has lingered through several rounds of discussion in parliamentary committees and even on the parliament floor, but the matter remains undecided.

FDE officials said the directorate challenged the IHC ruling, but the Supreme Court referred the case back last month saying it was logical.

Officials said the FDE has now decided to implement the IHC order, which directed the now defunct Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) to place the cases of BPS-1 to 15 employees before cabinet to approve within 90 days.

“However, all those employees who are in service are protected and the shall not be terminated till the final decision of the federal government, however, this will be subject to the condition that they have been appointed in a transparent manner.”

The judgement added: “All employees, who have been regularized by the Government of Pakistan/competent authority through cabinet committee, who have not been given joining due to the restriction imposed by the government and they are only waiting for their posting orders, the concerned ministries and divisions are directed to issue their posting orders within a period of 90 days subject to fulfilment of other codal formalities, however, their appointment will be considered permanent from the issuance of notification/ joining orders.”

Published in Dawn, April 22nd, 2019