Elections take priority: SED cancels training of school heads

Proposed training schedule overlapping with ECP’s orientation session

LAHORE: The Punjab School Education Department (SED) has withdrawn its earlier orders to conduct a leadership training programme for school heads as the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has issued dates for its orientation sessions for the upcoming polls.

SED issued a notification in this regard, which said that the proposed training schedule was overlapping with the ECP’s orientation session, therefore the department withdrew its earlier orders and a new schedule for the training would be announced soon.

The notification sent to the District Education Authorities (DEAs) Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and all the district head of the Quaid-i-Azam Academy for Educational Development (QAED) said, “The proposed School Leadership Development Programme is overlapping with the orientation sessions for Assistant Presiding Officers and polling officers arranged by the ECP commencing from April 23 to May 12”. It further read: “Conducting elections is the prime national responsibility of the ECP, therefore its training programme and other election-related activities shall be accorded top priority.”

“Keeping in view the training by the ECP, the training schedule issued by the SED for School Leadership Development Programme is hereby withdrawn. The new schedule will be communicated subsequently.”

The notification further made clear that the election duties would be given top-most priority. “It is hereby directed that, in future, election duties and directions of the ECP shall take the highest priority and precedence over all other departmental activities.”

The SED also instructed the officials concerned to make sure that the instructions issued by the ECP would be complied with on a priority basis.

“All the CEOs of DEAs and all departments/ organisations/ autonomous bodies working under the administrative control of the SED shall ensure that directions received from the ECP shall be complied with immediately.

In case of any leniency, slackness or complaint, the officer(s) concerned shall be personally responsible and liable to be proceeded against under the rules.”

Earlier, the SED had decided to give eight-day training to a total of 15,000 school heads from all the 36 districts of the province beginning April 18. The eight-day training was to be held in three groups.

The School Leadership Development Programme (SLDP) was to be carried out by the QAED and held throughout April and May. The heads of higher secondary, higher and elementary school heads from all the 36 districts of Punjab were to receive the training.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 23^rd, 2018.