Administrative malfunction: Ad hoc board chairpersons in Sindh may carry on ‘indefinitely’
Sindh govt is mulling over grant of extensions without specifying duration
The chairpersons of five educational boards of the province will retire on Monday, September 30, 2019. These include the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE), Larkana, BISE, Sukkur, Sindh Board of Technical Education, Board of Intermediate Education, Karachi (BIEK) and Secondary Education Board, Karachi. (Photo: File)
KARACHI:
Owing to the negligence and mismanagement of the Universities and Boards Department, the Sindh government is planning to temporarily extend the job tenures of chairpersons of five educational boards across the province, just a day before the expiration of their terms.
The situation arose because Universities and Boards Secretary Riazuddin Qureshi - infamous for causing administrative errors - delayed posting the advertisements for the appointment of permanent chairpersons for education boards in various cities of the province.
To mitigate the situation, Advisor to the Sindh Chief Minister on Universities and Boards Nisar Ahmed Khuhro has directed the department to immediately advertise the vacant posts.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, Shakeel Memon - the spokesperson for Mr Khuhro - said that an extension in the job tenures of the chairpersons heading the five boards is being considered to prevent administrative problems.
Education City to house varsities of international repute: CS Sindh
“Qureshi has been instructed to advertise the vacancies without further delay,” he said. “Immediate merit-based appointments of chairpersons via advertisements have to be made at all costs. Hence, job tenures are likely to be temporarily extended.” According to sources in the Universities and Boards Department, the hiring process takes around two months. However, the exact period of extension has not been defined by the government, the sources said.
On being questioned about the probability of Qureshi’s transfer, Memon said that it is an administrative issue of the Sindh government, therefore he cannot comment on that. “Khuhro took charge of his office only a month ago so he could not oversee the matter early on. However, it was the duty of the Universities and Boards secretary to advertise the vacancies in good time,” he replied.
The chairpersons of five educational boards of the province will retire on Monday, September 30, 2019. These include the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE), Larkana, BISE, Sukkur, Sindh Board of Technical Education, Board of Intermediate Education, Karachi (BIEK) and Secondary Education Board, Karachi.
SHC seeks government’s reply over plea filed against Universities Act
Last year, Sindh Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah extended the job tenures of the chairpersons of two educational boards, including the Chairman of BISE, Hyderabad Dr Muhammad Memon, and the chairman of BISE Mirpurkhas, Barkat Ali Haidri.
According to sources, in a summary of the prevailing matters of the department sent to the Sindh government, Qureshi sought the dismissal of BSEK Chairman Dr Saeeduddin on medical grounds. He also asked the government to extend the job tenure of Sindh Board of Technical Education (SBTE) Chairman Dr Masroor Sheikh by two years. His suggestions, however, were rejected by the provincial government and no decisions were made.
Prior allegations
Apart from the mismanagement demonstrated by Qureshi, complaints against an audit officer and few other personnel of BIEK have also surfaced. According to sources, the relevant officers had allegedly manipulated the results of the Karachi Intermediate Examinations.
When the allegations surfaced, the examination controller called a press conference after which the Universities and Boards secretary ordered a probe into the matter.
Everyone knows how Sindh govt works: SC judge
The inquiry report carried several complaints against the BIEK Chairman Prof Inaam Ahmed and the audit officer, Zahid Lakho. However, the matter was sidelined and no action was taken against either of them. When approached, Prof Ahmed defended himself and said that earlier this year, an inquiry was conducted against the former controller of examinations, Azeem Siddiqi, and a committee was set up for the purpose.
“At the time, the committee didn’t have the mandate to conduct an inquiry against me,” said the chairman of BIEK. “But since I removed the ex-controller who was appointed by them, they have fixed me in this inquiry [to settle an old score].” Meanwhile, sources said that some candidates have been interviewed for the posts of secretary and controllers of boards, as well as for the posts of finance director in Sindh’s varsities, which have been lying vacant for the past several years.
A few days ago, a summary of the proposed names for the posts of finance director was sent to Khuhro, but the names have not been approved by CM Sindh, owing to which no appointments have been made yet.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 29th, 2019.
Owing to the negligence and mismanagement of the Universities and Boards Department, the Sindh government is planning to temporarily extend the job tenures of chairpersons of five educational boards across the province, just a day before the expiration of their terms.
The situation arose because Universities and Boards Secretary Riazuddin Qureshi - infamous for causing administrative errors - delayed posting the advertisements for the appointment of permanent chairpersons for education boards in various cities of the province.
To mitigate the situation, Advisor to the Sindh Chief Minister on Universities and Boards Nisar Ahmed Khuhro has directed the department to immediately advertise the vacant posts.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, Shakeel Memon - the spokesperson for Mr Khuhro - said that an extension in the job tenures of the chairpersons heading the five boards is being considered to prevent administrative problems.
Education City to house varsities of international repute: CS Sindh
“Qureshi has been instructed to advertise the vacancies without further delay,” he said. “Immediate merit-based appointments of chairpersons via advertisements have to be made at all costs. Hence, job tenures are likely to be temporarily extended.” According to sources in the Universities and Boards Department, the hiring process takes around two months. However, the exact period of extension has not been defined by the government, the sources said.
On being questioned about the probability of Qureshi’s transfer, Memon said that it is an administrative issue of the Sindh government, therefore he cannot comment on that. “Khuhro took charge of his office only a month ago so he could not oversee the matter early on. However, it was the duty of the Universities and Boards secretary to advertise the vacancies in good time,” he replied.
The chairpersons of five educational boards of the province will retire on Monday, September 30, 2019. These include the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE), Larkana, BISE, Sukkur, Sindh Board of Technical Education, Board of Intermediate Education, Karachi (BIEK) and Secondary Education Board, Karachi.
SHC seeks government’s reply over plea filed against Universities Act
Last year, Sindh Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah extended the job tenures of the chairpersons of two educational boards, including the Chairman of BISE, Hyderabad Dr Muhammad Memon, and the chairman of BISE Mirpurkhas, Barkat Ali Haidri.
According to sources, in a summary of the prevailing matters of the department sent to the Sindh government, Qureshi sought the dismissal of BSEK Chairman Dr Saeeduddin on medical grounds. He also asked the government to extend the job tenure of Sindh Board of Technical Education (SBTE) Chairman Dr Masroor Sheikh by two years. His suggestions, however, were rejected by the provincial government and no decisions were made.
Prior allegations
Apart from the mismanagement demonstrated by Qureshi, complaints against an audit officer and few other personnel of BIEK have also surfaced. According to sources, the relevant officers had allegedly manipulated the results of the Karachi Intermediate Examinations.
When the allegations surfaced, the examination controller called a press conference after which the Universities and Boards secretary ordered a probe into the matter.
Everyone knows how Sindh govt works: SC judge
The inquiry report carried several complaints against the BIEK Chairman Prof Inaam Ahmed and the audit officer, Zahid Lakho. However, the matter was sidelined and no action was taken against either of them. When approached, Prof Ahmed defended himself and said that earlier this year, an inquiry was conducted against the former controller of examinations, Azeem Siddiqi, and a committee was set up for the purpose.
“At the time, the committee didn’t have the mandate to conduct an inquiry against me,” said the chairman of BIEK. “But since I removed the ex-controller who was appointed by them, they have fixed me in this inquiry [to settle an old score].” Meanwhile, sources said that some candidates have been interviewed for the posts of secretary and controllers of boards, as well as for the posts of finance director in Sindh’s varsities, which have been lying vacant for the past several years.
A few days ago, a summary of the proposed names for the posts of finance director was sent to Khuhro, but the names have not been approved by CM Sindh, owing to which no appointments have been made yet.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 29th, 2019.