KARACHI, Sept 2: A consolidated order regarding interchange of responsibilities has not been taken in letter and spirit by the field officers of the city government’s education department, it was learnt officially.

Sources in the education department said a reshuffling of all the primary (elementary schools) supervisors was ordered about two months back by the executive district officer (education), but 20 per cent of the officers failed to report on their new places of duty or were reportedly reluctant to hand over the charge of their old offices to the new incumbents.

It was said that the education department was being pressured enormously regarding withdrawal of some posting orders. The old incumbents did not want to leave the places of work since they found it convincing and paying, in addition to their routine salary and government perks to work in the same vicinity.

The supervisors are considered as a pillar of primary school education system, stretching all over the city. They not only discharge their duties in drawing and disbursing officers in the case of primary schools where the heads of institutions were unable to perform as DDO due to financial rule restrictions of the province, but are also responsible for surveillance of school staff, premises, educational proceedings and facilities for staff and students.

Under the old system, supervisors used to work at the subdivisional level, but after the devolution of power, there is now one male supervisor for every union council, while two female supervisors in each Town. As per requirement, the city government’s education department needed 178 male and 36 women supervisors for inspection of school premises and monitoring and improvement of education quality.

The education department made an inter-Town shuffling of the available 124 male and 36 women supervisors in June, but despite efforts it could not be able to move 30 male and women female supervisors who are believed to hold solid footing and enjoy political backings.

In fact, some of the supervisors had been taking undue advantage of their position in some of the union councils, added a sources in the educational circle, mentioning that some irresponsible officers did not prove honest in their duties and managed to exploit the situation by pressurising the school heads for extra-financial benefits as well.

It was also learnt that instead of keeping strong vigilance and frequently visiting the schools, they let loose the school staff, including the school heads, and demanded benefits in many cases for keeping their eyes closed on the education developments in the area schools, the sources said, adding that Orangi, Shah Faisal, Lyari, Site, Saddar, Korangi, Gulberg, and Liaquatabad were the towns where affairs of primary schools were being badly neglected.

When a senior official at the education department was contacted, he confirmed that reshuffling was ordered in view of complaints and non-effectiveness of the field officers.

“We are also issuing show-cause notices to those who have failed to comply with the transfers orders as strict observance of discipline on the part of officials is the only way to root out corruption and deeds of negligence from the educational system,” the official remarked.