Past weeks have seen multiple financial scams hit the capital’s education regulator. PHOTO: FILE
The top education regulatory body has been in the news for quite some time for all the wrong reasons.
In recent weeks, the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) responsible for regulating and monitoring over 422 educational institutions in the capital has been in the spotlight for alleged financial and administrative irregularities.
Three inquiries were conducted against several officials of the directorate for malpractices, alleged corruption and misappropriation of funds.
“Recently, the 27th private account of an officer was discovered. The account allegedly had Rs930,000 in it from FDE development funds, while accounts unearthed earlier have already been investigated,” an FDE officer told The Express Tribune on condition of anonymity.
Besides the millions collected through the now-abolished students funds, training and regular budgets including recurring expenses were also put in private accounts without the prior approval of the Accountant General of Pakistan Revenue. The findings of two investigations have since been sent to Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD), but no punishments have been handed out.
Meanwhile, an audit recently underlined the illegal use of fuel by 11 officers, which cost the national exchequer Rs2.177 million. Usually, the officials are provided limited fuel cards to be used for official purpose but the amount submitted by these officers exceeded the allowed limit.
An investigation has also found ex-director administration Muhammad Shahid Khan and the planning and development (PD) director guilty of illegally recruiting 93 staffers at several educational institutes to set up 11 computer labs.
In January, CADD officials told a senate standing committee that several of the FDE officers were holding multiple charges due to the shortage of relevant officers and several other reasons.
The two most important are federal government colleges director, who also has the acting-charge of model colleges director, while the federal government colleges assistant director also has acting charge of the same post on the model colleges side.
Meanwhile, Haji Akbar Chheena — appointed the Administration and Finance Director in November last year — has sent a ‘non-compliance’ report about DG Shahnaz A Riaz to his division. Chheena has also informed CADD that two directors at the FDE are without any portfolios, while some officers are holding dual charges. Besides, auditors also objected to hiring FDE officers from educational institutes.
Replying to the prevailing situation, the director general said she was trying her best to address the issues at hand and soon those will be resolved.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 5th, 2014.
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