Change in service structure: Establishment division raises objections, rejects summary

RCB reverses decision to merge two schools following protests by parents

ISLAMABAD/RAWALPINDI: In the first bureaucratic hurdle faced by the new government, the Establishment Division has raised objections over the new service structures of federal government educational institutions.

According to sources, the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) had a few months ago amended the service structure of teachers and sent them to the Establishment Division for approval.

The draft rules proposed that promotion of teachers should be linked with their training for modern teaching methods to serve as the in-service checks and balances. Moreover, it had been further suggested that teachers must serve for at least two years in rural areas to qualify for promotions — the move was a bid to guard against teachers using political influence to avoid a rural placement which causes a shortage of teachers in the rural areas.

Moreover, the draft rules had stipulated that before a teacher can be promoted as a principal of a school, they will have to take a mandatory management course.

It was suggested that because the service structure has yet to be approved by the establishment division, as many as 35 per cent of seats in federal education institutions are lying vacant with appointments pending. On the contrary, the Constitution states that not more than 10 per cent of seats can stay vacant at any time.

However, the Establishment Division objected to the conditions of training and two years of service in the rural areas for up gradation along with the condition of taking a management course for those teachers who are to be promoted as principals and stated that they were unreasonable.

The establishment division returned the summary to the FDE with its objections listed.

Cantonment board reverses school merger

The Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) was forced to undo the merger of two schools following a strong reaction from parents and the few children available.

Initially, the RCB had decided to merge the Chohar Harpal and the Saham schools by operating morning and evening shifts for students of the two schools in a single building.

However, the decision was taken without taken local representatives on board. As a result, it caused concern and anger amongst parents.

Moreover, after the merger was brought into effect, a significant drop in the attendance of students from the merged school was observed. As a result, the RCB decided to restore the two schools to their previous position.

Officials said that those students who had left the school in favour of private schools following the merger are expected to return as well. Moreover, RCB was looking to enhance the quality of education at this school and the facilities available.

Students reject transferring school management

Former students of the Pak-Turk School have rejected the decision to handover operations of the school to an inexperienced international organization.

This was stated by Haseeb Ahmed, Muneeb Ahmed Shujat Ahmed, erstwhile students of the Pak-Turk School while addressing a news conference at the National Press Club in Islamabad on Sunday.

They expressed their anxiety over the Supreme Court’s verdict which forced the government to hand over operations of a successful institution to an international foundation which had just two years of experience under its belt.

They expressed concerns that the decision had been taken without giving a hearing to those who had managed the school for over two decades.

The former students further said that the Pak-Turk Education Foundation was an organisation which had been run by a Pakistani administration under section 42 along with a number of other institutions.

While highlighting the achievements of the organisation, the former students said that Pak-Turk Schools had brought pride to the country with its students acquiring positions in different educational boards and bagging more than 300 medals on the national and international levels which is a proof of the efforts teachers and the administration of the institution.

To hand over our institution to an inexperienced organisation seems illogical, they stated.

They claimed that the motive behind the takeover of such an exemplary institution appears to be politically driven.

If the Maarf foundation was serious about providing quality education in Pakistan, they suggested that it should be invited to partake in the national educational reforms programme. They urged to the government of Pakistan not to bow down to the whims of the Turkish government which would destroy this successful institution and urged keep them running under the Pakistani system.

They urged the Chief Justice of Pakistan and the government not to hand over operations of the Pak-Turk Schools to the foundation.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 17^th, 2018.