The culture of ad-hocism seems an integral requirement in Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Naya Pakistan.
The government has once again appointed a temporary head of the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE), who is supposed to look after 423 public sector educational institutions in the capital.
In addition, round 17 important educational institutions in the capital are also functioning either without permanent heads or under those on temporary duties.
According to the notification issued by the ministry of federal education and professional training, the government has appointed Syed Umair Javed as FDE Director General on additional duty.
Originally, Javed was working as Joint Secretary at the ministry.
As per available information, he has a working experience of nearly 10 years in public-sector institutions.
Surprisingly, the FDE had been running without a permanent head since 2016.
Dr Shahnaz A Raiz was the sole director-general in nearly past eight years. She had been promoted on the basis of seniority and had permanent status. After her retirement in December 2016, the post fast became a game of ‘musical chairs’ as so far, eight DGs have been appointed and replaced. They included Amir Ashraf Khawaja; Ali Ahmed Kharal; Moinuddin Wani; Ayesha Farooq; Dr Tariq Masood; Hasnat Qureshi; Ali Ahmed Kharal (twice) and now Syed Javed
According to the rules formulated by the Education Ministry in March 1990, the FDE DG shall be appointed by promoting people from within the department. These include serving directors or a principal of a degree college with at least 17 years of teaching or administrative experience.
Moreover, SRO-225 also states the DG must have at least 17 years of teaching or administrative service in BS-17 or at least 12 years of service in BS-18 or five years in teaching or administrative service in BS-19 in the case of direct recruitment.
The post is crucial as the person appointed against it has the mandate to monitor the administrative and academic affairs of 423 institutions. Officials say only a permanent head against this slot can run the affairs idyllically.
After PTI came to power, it was being expected to reform the department and appoint such key officials with transparency. Yet, so far, nothing of the sort seems to be happening for real in federal educational institutions. The said appointment is the second exercised since the PTI prominent member, Shafqat Mehmood, assumed office as the federal education minister.
Round three months ago, the government had appointed Dr Ali Ahmed Kharal on this slot on an additional charge while he was serving as the principal of Islamabad Model College for Boys G-6/3.
“The directorate was suffering in the absence of a permanent head. The provisional chief could not understand and deal with all official affairs of the FDE properly,” claimed a senior official wishing anonymity.
The concept of a dual charge against senior administrative slots has become a very common practice. This issue also came under discussion at a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee held a few months ago.
The 17 educational organisations waiting for their permanent heads include National Vocational & Technical Training Commission; National Education Foundation; National Vocational and Technical Training Commission; Academy of Educational Planning and Management and Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority among other major organisations.
Three colleges directly under the control of the education ministry are also facing such dearth of key chiefs and include Federal Government College of Home Economics & Management Sciences, Sir Syed School & College of Special Education and Federal College of Education.
To add to the misfortune, the post of secretary general at the Pakistan National Commission for UN Educational Scientific Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) -an education ministry liaison office with UNESCO- has also been vacant for a long time.