Extra charges: CADD takes yet another somersault

Withdraws orders to collect funds for PTA following pressure from parents.

ISLAMABAD: It has become a norm of the day that policymakers and bureaucrats running educational matters in the capital issue an order without taking parents and teachers into confidence and take it back when there is a hue and cry.

For instance, the Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) withdrew orders it had issued to heads of colleges and schools on October 24 regarding collection of Rs100 from students for running the affairs of parent-teacher associations (PTAs).



The cash-strapped administrations of the educational institutes started collecting the amount but parents objected and started complaining about seeking ‘unnecessary’ amount from students when the government has already announced to provide free and compulsory education.

Besides, the division on November 2013 abolished all types of fees, charges and expenses from students of grade one to 10 in all educational institutes.

Following this decision, the schools and colleges started feeling the heat and sought help from CADD to allocate funds to run buses, purchase stationery and other items for which earlier the students’ fund would be utilised.

Similarly, educational institutes, especially model colleges, have also hired daily wagers as teachers and other staff and paying them has also become a tough task now.

On Friday, the division issued a letter with a back date (November 7) ordering to withdraw the earlier announcements with immediate effect.

“It wasn’t bad idea since it was not mandatory but after getting the opposition we withdrew the orders,” CADD Additional Secretary Qaiser Majeed told The Express Tribune.



Majeed is also the acting Director General of the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) which is being run for over three years without a permanent head. The effect is boiling down from the top as CADD has witnessed more than six secretaries in one year with latest secretary taking the charge on Friday.

Commenting on the confusion, a CADD official, requesting anonymity, said “nobody knows who is doing what at the division, and the results of that are evident from the constant backtracking.”

Published in The Express Tribune, November 17^th, 2014.