Naughty or nice?: SSC results determine if principals get props or transfer letters

Directorate of Education working on accountability mechanism.

PESHAWAR: FATA Secretariat Directorate of Education is taking principals to task over their respective schools’ performance in the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations for 2013.

In a move aimed at creating an accountability mechanism for schools in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), transfer orders, letters of reprimand and letters of appreciation will be issued to school heads.

Accordingly, the Directorate of Education Fata Secretariat has issued transfer orders for the heads of institutions whose SSC results are less than 50% and their school premises are on or near main roads.

Principals and headmasters whose schools failed to achieve the mark of excellence – results of 100% – have been asked to improve through advisory letters. On the other hand, notes of appreciation have been issued to the heads of schools with results of 100%.

This formula has been applied to inculcate a sense of accountability in teachers in Fata, noted Governor Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Principal Secretary Abid Majeed. All relevant intermediate and secondary education boards have also been requested to provide subject-wise results.

This would mean, Majeed explained, after the scrutiny of the overall school performance, individual subject results would be appraised. Individual teachers whose students failed to perform well would be transferred out.

Transfer letters were sent to government high school principals in Mohmand, Khyber, Orakzai and Kurram agencies. Letters asking for better performances in the next SSCs were sent to Khyber, Mohmand and Kurram agencies.

Those receiving letters of appreciation for 100% results in grades nine and 10 head schools in Fata and Frontier Regions Peshawar, DI Khan, Tank, and Bannu.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 12^th, 2013.