Evening shifts: ‘Admissions open’ again, PM’s promises remain unfulfilled

The package to end evening shifts in schools might have to wait.

ISLAMABAD:

The evening programmes in government-run schools in Islamabad will continue for one more year at least.

The Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) has failed to implement the package under which all the educational institutions in the capital were going to be brought under the morning system with equal facilities and opportunities for teachers and students.

“The evening shifts will continue functioning this year and will be converted into morning shifts by the next session,” said Atif Mehmood Kayani, Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) Director-General (DG).

“CADD division is actively working on this,” he added.

Official sources said the CADD division could not complete the process due to “administrative loopholes”. Another reason for the delay cited by the officials was the frequent replacements of FDE Director-Generals.

The devolution of the ministry from centre to provinces also played a factor, sources said.

Some of the key demands of the teachers forwarded to the ministry included uniformity in “syllabus and distribution of financial resources, faculty designation, recruitment and promotion, administrative and academic structure of all public sector institutions” and formation of a committee with representatives of the federal government, model and garrison schools and colleges.

While some of these demands were fulfilled, others await action, such as the abolition of the evening shift, the establishment of Federation Public School in Islamabad as well as Model University to cater to the affiliation needs of ICT graduate and postgraduate colleges.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 17^th, 2011.