FDE abolishes school, college wings in federal capital

Model college wing could not be abolished because colleges have separate rules of business, recruitment

RAWALPINDI/ ISLAMABAD: In a surprising move, the apex education regulator of the federal capital has decided to abolish its school and college wings while revising portfolios of six directors by handing them greater responsibilities.

According to the notification issued by the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) director general, six directors were given additional responsibilities which will come into effect from July 1.

The notification said that Asif Iqbal Khan has been appointed as the director of Innovation and Collaboration. He will now be responsible for Education Technology Partnerships.

Schools Director Saqib Shahab has been given the charge of the Human Resource Development (HRD) department. He will be responsible for overseeing issues pertaining to recruitment, transfer, posting, promotion, training, retirement, pension and other staff issues at the 423 educational institutions in the federal capital.

Colleges Director Javed Iqbal will now perform duties as the Communication and Outreach director. He is expected to look after issues relating to coordination, parliamentary business, and complaints logged on the prime minister's citizen portal.

He has also been handed additional responsibilities as the DDO of FDE.

Further, the portfolio of Budget Director Amber Sultana has been changed. She will now head the Financial Management department and will oversee the internal audit of educational institutions of the federal capital apart from managing the financial planning, budgeting and financial reporting of the directorate.

Sadia Adnan has been given the responsibility of looking into matters pertaining to admissions, curriculum, programme development, examinations and performance of institutions.

Administration Director Abdul Waheed Khan has been handed responsibilities as the Administration Services director and has been tasked with supervising legal matters, FDE procurement, general management, transport and Human Resource (HR) headquarters.

All area education officers have been directed to report their issues to the related officials in accordance with their portfolios and responsibilities.

Sources say that the model college wing could not be abolished because all 22 model colleges in the federal capital have separate rules of business and recruitment.

Kids working at brick kilns to be enrolled in literacy centres

In a bid to reach all children in the district, the literacy department has kicked-off a campaign to enrol in literacy centres underprivileged children who either work at brick kilns or whose parents work there.

Apart from children working at brick kilns, the campaign will also target street children and those bonded in labour will be identified and will subsequently be enrolled in the 375 literacy centres.

Punjab Education Department Rawalpindi District Officer Ghulam Akash said that all such students enrolled will be provided with free stationery items, books, school bags and uniforms. He added that committees have been formed to trace such children and ensure their admissions in the literacy centres.

Education control board

The provincial education ministry has decided to set up ‘education control boards’ under the new local bodies system. The boards will be established in every tehsil and will operate like the British county system. They will comprise elected local government members, education officers and technocrats.

The board will be tasked with overseeing the school system, supplying furniture and other necessary materials as well as transfer and recruitment of teachers at the Tehsil level.

The boards would also ensure that the education policy devised by the Punjab government is implemented.

These boards will come into existence after the local body elections under the new local government law. 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 25^th, 2019.