ISLAMABAD: The Prime Minister Office has rejected a proposal of the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) for the appointment of 2,300 new teachers.

A source at the ministry of Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) told Dawn that CADD had recently moved a summary to the Prime Minister Office for the appointment of 2,300 teachers. However, the Prime Minister Office rejected the summary with objections.

The source said CADD was directed that before hiring the new teachers, the FDE should first fill the vacant posts.

It may be mentioned that under the Prime Minister’s Reforms Initiative, the ministry of CADD wants to create 2,300 new posts of teachers for the educational institutions.

Prime Minister Office asks CADD to first fill 1,000 vacant posts in capital

The source said a premature summary was moved by CADD to the Prime Minister Office seeking an approval for the new posts which was rejected with several objections.

An official of the FDE told Dawn that currently around 1,000 of the total 9,000 sanctioned posts of teachers were lying vacant.

“I can’t say whether the government has cancelled its plan of hiring new teachers. But it is clear that our incomplete summary, which missed several key points, has been rejected. We have been directed to first fill the already vacant posts,” said a senior officer of CADD who requested not to be named.

Despite repeated attempts, Secretary CADD Hassan Iqbal could not be contacted for comments.

Through the public relations officer of the ministry, Joint Secretary CADD Dr Tariq Moj told Dawn that he did not want to share the details of the 2,300 teaching posts with the media.

Asked on what grounds the Prime Minister Office had rejected the summary, he said: “At the moment, I am not in a position to say anything on the issue.”

Meanwhile, a source said the Prime Minister Office also showed displeasure over CADD’s selection of the director general FDE who was removed by the Supreme Court declaring the appointment against rules.

The source said CADD was told to keep in view the apex court’s directives while preparing a summary for the appointment of a new DG. The source said since a number of directors general FDE were removed by courts on petitions filed by former DG Shahnaz A. Riaz, the government was also considering appointing her (Dr Riaz) as the FDE head. However, a final decision is yet to be taken.

Published in Dawn, April 6th, 2016