In abeyance: No action against ghost teacher appointments

Principals tell committee they were pressurised into hiring staff.

ISLAMABAD: At a time when the ministry of finance has approved a salary package of Rs140 million for daily wagers in capital schools and colleges, an inquiry questioning the recruitment of such staff is lying in cold storage for no apparent reason.

The inquiry report, available with The Express Tribune, details the findings of a preliminary report against officials involved in recruiting daily wagers despite a ban by federal government in May 2013.

The Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat in July directed CADD Secretary Khalid Hanif to take disciplinary action against the alleged officers for making appointments by “unfair means.”

According to the report, the then director general (education), upon receiving numerous complaints regarding the daily wage employees issued directions to scrutinise all the cases of daily wage employees. Currently, there are over 1,800 daily wagers in 422 schools and colleges of Islamabad.

A five-member committee collected data and held several meetings with area education officers (AEOs) and principals, while daily wagers were also called for scrutiny and verification of records.

Findings

“Hundreds of daily wagers were appointed with back dates and most of them have not even attended the schools,” the report says. Besides, it added, ambiguous and open appointment letters were issued by AEO Nilore without mentioning the period, amount and nature of appointment.

To the surprise of many, the report finds that separate attendance registers for such daily wagers are being maintained.

Principal of Islamabad Model School for Boys (I-VIII) Jandala also appeared in committee with attendance registers and recorded his statement that “he submitted the form of his relative (from Sindh) with fake backdated orders and presented the attendance register with bogus attendance marks by his relative” and requested to ignore his mistakes.

Similarly, Nighat Bibi appeared and stated that two person, Shoukat (From CDA) and Raja Ishtiaq, act as mediators between those appointed and AEOs for dealing and they collect payments with the promise that they will regularise them later.

According to report some institutions recruited unnecessary teachers and staff, such IMSB (I-V), Malot, which has 14 students but their principal accommodated 19 daily wagers.

“Some preliminary steps were also taken to streamline the matter in which replacement of AEO Bara Kahu Bashir Arian, AEO Nilore Abbass Ali Makka and were asked to list such staffers on an affidavit for final scrutiny and preparation of centralised database.

Recommendations

The report recommended that explanation letters should be sent to all those involved in these appointments and constitute a high level committee to probe into the matter and recommend disciplinary action. It also suggested to list of daily wage employees may be finalised thorough verification of records.

“Refer the matters to FIA or NAB for further investigation and to resolve the matter on permanent basis,” concluded the report.

CADD secretary added he had asked thrice about the inquiry but did not know why it was being hidden from him. “Nobody will be spared when the investigations are made,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 12^th, 2015.