ISLAMABAD, June 26: The employees of Federal Directorate of Education have alleged that the education Ministry was not following proper procedure in appointment of directors in the FDE.
They said, according to SRO 225 of 1990, 50 per cent of these posts are to be filled in through promotions and the rest through direct appointment through FPSC. However, presently, the directors presently working in the directorate were appointed without following the procedure.
They said the procedure, in fact, was a sheer violation of the SRO, according to which, a director is appointed in the BPS- 19 with 12 years teaching and administrative experience in BPS-17 and above or seven years teaching or administrative experience in BPS-18 in case of direct recruitment in BPS-18.
They said these directors were hired for a brief period from different educational institutions for three to six months. But they extend their stay for indefinite period, an official from directorate told Dawn here Thursday.
The presence of outsiders occupying coveted posts the career officers of directorate were denied promotions. The denial was causing a lot of resentment among the employees, he said adding withdrawal of army officers from FDE was a good sign as they, in fact, used to protect these directors. The practice has also defied the judgment of Islamabad High Court (IHC). The court has in its judgment on May 29, 2008 also ordered the education ministry to act on SRO 225 of 1990 but the education ministry was still continuing with the hand picked directors.
The directors, who have been inducted in the FDE without following proper procedure, include Director Colleges Prof M Rafiq Tahir, Director Schools Prof Mohammad Azad, Director Planning and Development Col Khalid Rasheed Raja and Director Model Colleges Prof Samina Nadeem, she has now been replaced by Mohammad Siddique, another lecturer from a model college.
On the other hand, there were competent people within the directorate working in capacity of deputy directors and it was their right to be promoted as directors, said another officer from the directorate.