Staff shortage: Lift of ban to ease pressure on educational institutes

Many universities, colleges and HEC have been facing dearth of manpower.

ISLAMABAD:

The recent lift of ban on government jobs has brought a sigh of relief for federal educational institutes and bodies which were struggling to manage affairs with severe staff shortages.

The federal government had banned government recruitment as an austerity measure after it came to power last year but the cabinet announced to lift the ban on September 22.



Even though a formal notification has yet to be issued, there is a sense of ease at the Higher Education Commission (HEC), public universities, Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) and Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) as they hope to now recruit new staff and hold promotion boards. The bodies have not only suffered from staff shortages but the promotion processes were also affected.

Deputationists at HEC

The HEC has also been relying on the staff it has sought from universities. Currently the HEC executive director is on deputation from the University of Balochistan. Three members of operation as well as three advisers are also working on deputation, besides the managing director and director general of quality assurance.

HEC Chairperson Dr Mukhtar Ahmad said the process of hiring will be gradual and those on deputation would be sent back to their parent bodies. “At present, we are short of around 150 staff from grade 1 through 20,” he said. Minister of State for Federal Education and Professional Training Balighur Rehman has also been writing to the prime minister to do away with the ban.



There was uncertainty about the future of PhD scholars the commission had funded and placed at different universities on an interim basis for a year. Contracts of most of the PhD scholars had expired but they could not be hired because of the ban. There are around 40 scholars who will benefit from the job openings. Of them, 20 will be accommodated at the Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU). QAU, Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) and the International Islamic University (IIUI) also faced difficulties due to the ban.

QAU

According to QAU acting Vice-Chancellor Eatizaz Ahmad, there are about 12 teachers who have shifted their status from basic pay scales to tenure-track system but the administration could not decide about their fate due to the ban. “Besides, we were short of around 20 teachers and 30 non-teaching staff, particularly at pharmacy and law departments which have recently been established,” he added.

IIUI

IIUI acting Rector Dr Masoom Yasinzai said the varsity will hire about a hundred faculty members after the government formally allows recruitment. “Some of our teachers have retired. Hiring and up-gradation of the staff will now be possible,” he added.

CADD

CADD caters to all 422 schools and colleges in Islamabad Capital Territory. CADD Joint Secretary Administration Hafiz Sher Ali said around 589 posts were vacant at different levels in the ministry and the attached departments. “It includes educational institutes, hospitals, and other bodies,” he said.

FDE

FDE Director Administration Ghulam Hussain Sohoo told The Express Tribune that around 100 staffers were on deputation from different educational institutes.

“If we could hire new staff for administration, there would have been no need to depute principals and vice-principals at the FDE,” he remarked. He said the directorate will recruit some 300 new teachers for capital’s schools and colleges.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 29^th, 2014.