Transfer of principals suspended within days

Islamabad : In a surprise move, the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) has suspended its recent orders to transfer principals of three colleges in Islamabad Capital Territory.

On October 23, 2018, Dr Ali Ahmed Kharal Principal Islamabad Model College for Boys (IMCB) I-10/1 was transferred and posted as Principal Islamabad College for Boys (ICB) G-6/3. He joined the college on the same day.

Likewise, Rafiq Sandhelvi who was the Principal of ICB G-6/3 was transferred and posted as Principal at Islamabad Model College for Boys G-10/4, while Hafiz Shakeel Ahmed Principal at IMCB G-10/4 was transferred as the Principal of Islamabad Model College for Boys I-10/1.

However, on October 26, the transfer orders of the principals were held in abeyance by the FDE leaving principals and teachers and students aghast at the FDE's sudden move made on the instructions from new Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training.

A ministry official insisted that the orders were approved by outgoing FDE Director General Hasnat Qureshi.

"Hasnat Qureshi was under the erstwhile CADD, whose authorities had given him the powers to transfer principals being grade 19 officer, but now the new ministry (MOFEPT) overseeing FDE has its own point of view and therefore, the transfer orders have been suspended," he said.

A teacher of the ICB said the teachers were happy that the principal transfers were made on the basis of seniority principle as Dr Ali Ahmed Kharal was the senior most officer in the seniority list of BPS-20.

"Being senior most, Dr Kharal should have been the principal of the bigger college, which is the ICB, but it seems that the powerful mafia at FDE penetrated in the new ministry," he said.

An official of the FDE said the authorities at the helm of affairs should ascertain the seniority and qualification of the officers before ordering any transfer.

"Reverting the transfer orders is really a joke which sent a bad message to everyone particularly students," he said.