Teachers on admin posts serving illegally, observes Sindh AG

Associations of officers and teachers at loggerheads over the issue

HYDERABAD: For years the friction between university teachers and officers has been simmering with the latter accusing the former of encroaching on their space by taking up administrative posts.

The teachers justify their induction in administrative roles contending that having taught for years in a university equips them with the experience to fulfill the responsibilities of non-academic jobs.

The issue was legally settled by the Supreme Court which in 2012 declared unlawful the rehiring of retired persons, deputationists, own pay scale (OPS) and out of turn promotions in all government departments. But as the order is yet to be complied with in all spheres of the Sindh government, the turf war between the two vital organs in the higher education institutes of the province perpetuates.

Even the advisory letters served to all public universities in Sindh by the provincial universities and boards secretary on August 19 this year, on the advice of the Sindh advocate general (AG), have not reportedly brought a change.

"[The] qualifications or experience for registrar, controller exam or other administrative posts are different from that of the teachers," observed Sindh AG Barrister Zameer Hussain Ghumro while talking to The Express Tribune. "The teachers serving on these posts are without lawful authority."

He said the varsities have been directed that teachers taking additional jobs in the administration departments should be returned to the teaching departments.

"It is therefore advised to seek affidavits of all the vice-chancellors and chairpersons of the educational boards thereby explaining and clarifying that no person is working vis-à-vis on contract, deputation, out of turn promotion or own pay scale basis in violation of the judgment of Supreme Court," reads the July 15 letter of the AG addressed to the Sindh services, general administration and coordination department (SGA&CD) secretary.

"... its non-compliance would expose the concerned department to contempt proceedings," it warned.

On August 9, the SGA&CD wrote to the universities and boards secretary for compliance followed by the August 19 correspondence.

However, according to the officials in the SGA&CD as well as universities, most of some 20 universities served the letter have yet to submit the affidavits.

Universities lag behind while other [government] departments have implemented [the Supreme Court's] decision, said the AG.

SUOF

The Sindh Universities Officers Federation (SUOF), which has been fighting the case for appointing only office cadre staff on administrative posts, is contemplating filing a contempt petition in the apex court. "For years we have been protesting to force the universities and government to comply with the order. But the blatant violation continues," said SUOF chairman Riasat Kubar.

The federation also objects to the appointment of retired persons as well as those posted on deputation from other departments on the posts.

"Such appointments adversely affect performance of the administration while also denying the opportunity of promotions to officers," Kubar contended.

According to data shared by the federation, 16 administrative posts in MUET Jamshoro, 15 in LUMHS Jamshoro, 13 in Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam, eight each in Karachi University and Sindh University, seven in Quest Nawabshah, six in Salu Khairpur, five each in NED Karachi and SMBBU Larkana and two in Federal Urdu University Karachi are held by teachers.

FAPUASA

In contrast, the Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (Fapuasa) defends the privilege of teachers for their selection on administrative posts. "But these appointments ought to be made on merit instead of extending favours," said Shakil Farooqi, the association's general secretary for Sindh.

He claimed that both the officers and teachers are on the same page in this regard. "My personal view is that when teachers begin working on any administrative post, they should dedicate themselves fully to that job and stop teaching."

Questioning the veracity of the AG's letter, he said, "How can the provincial government implement the Supreme Court's order when it recently appointed a 65-year-old retired official as the registrar of LUMHS?"

The Fapuasa and SUOF both demand an amendment in the Sindh Universities Law (Amendment) Act, 2013, which they argue has deprived public universities of their autonomy.

"Our stance is that these [admin posts] should be filled by the selection board of the concerned university. No teaching or non-teaching applicant [for the post] from outside that university should be appointed," said Dr Shahnawaz Talpur, Fapuasa's Sindh president.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 8^th, 2016.