IHC directs 400 teachers to return to provinces

In light of the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC’s) decision, the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) has decided to return services of around 400 deputed teachers to provinces, a spokesperson shared on Friday.

A committee under FDE Director General (DG) Dr Malik Ikram issued a notification in this regard which sparked outrage among the deputed educators and they announced protests. Sources informed The Express Tribune that such educators have been distributed in three categories.

The first category includes teachers who have non-objection certifications (NOC) from their respective provinces and FDE has issued a notification regarding extension of their certifications, they would remain deployed until their tenure of deputation expires.

The second category includes educators who had NOCs, but did not receive extensions from FDE while the third category comprises teachers who did not obtain NOCs from their respective provinces.

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Sources further shared that the quota of deputation in basic pay scale (BPS) 14 is only 10 per cent and it would be implemented in light of IHC’s orders.

However, there will be hiring on deputation on vacant seats from BPS 16 to 19. It was told that the FDE would clarify in the notification that the hiring would be done for three years or until recruitment on a permanent basis.

Previously, the Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid had assured the affected teachers and their representatives that transparency and uniform policy will be observed at all levels with regards to posting and transfer of FDE teachers.

He had stated that he will personally take up the matter with Prime Minister Imran Khan so that this controversial notification of sending teachers on deputation in FDE for years to their respective areas can be taken back.

Furthermore, the IHC had initially dismissed 12 petitions of deputation teachers seeking confirmation in federal capital’s educational institutions out of 32 petitions moved by teachers who had come on deputation from provinces and now wanted to stay in the capital permanently.

At least 80 teachers had filed petitions at IHC seeking court order for their merger in educational institutions in Islamabad as they had completed more than five years in the capital on deputation.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 25^th, 2021.