Teaching staff shortage stymies education in capital

Official says five federal government colleges functioning without staff

ISLAMABAD:

Teachers serving at educational institutions of the federal capital have demanded the authorities concerned to address issues including shortage of staff, lack of funds and insufficient infrastructure in federal government colleges.

An official source said that five federal government college projects are still incomplete for many years. Five colleges have been functioning without teaching and non-teaching staff, budgetary allocations and infrastructure since their inception. The system is running on ad-hoc basis by borrowing teaching and non-teaching staff from sister colleges of Islamabad.

Vice President Federal Government College Teachers Association (FGCTA) Tasneem Akhter Mir said, “Due to having no regular teachers to teach different classes, many colleges are compelled to hire daily wage teachers; consequently the academic work is suffering badly.”

FGCTA President Rahima Rahman said, "Among all other issues these colleges are facing, the major issue is of non-creation of posts of teachers.” She said the shortage of teachers is a matter of serious concern because no student can learn without teachers. Principals of these colleges do not find any way out to address the situation effectively, she added. She urged the higher authorities to come forward and direct the concerned officials to complete the unfinished projects of Federal Government Colleges.

Read   Model school plan remains a non-starter

The Islamabad Model College for Girls (IMCG) I-8/3 project was approved in August 2004 to provide degree-level education to the students living in nearby areas like I-8, I-9, I-10, Margalla Town, Rawal Town and Shehzad Town. The college was started in 2009 without getting regular staff or a budget from the finance division. Similarly, the IMCG I-14/3 project was approved in 2004, and under the plans the college building was to be put up within 36 months but it took seven years to complete the building.

The college is now running without a regular staff and budget. Both projects are incomplete despite the creation of posts of staff by the finance division last year.  The colleges could not get the required budget in the fiscal year 2021-22 because the relevant department could not create budget IDs for these colleges. If budget IDs are not created immediately and demand for budget is not sent to the finance division, these colleges will again be deprived of a regular budget in 2022-23.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 26^th, 2022.