Junior FDE appointments trigger unrest among teachers

Islamabad:The appointment of junior officers to key positions at the Federal Directorate of Education has caused unrest among senior faculty members of public sector educational institutions in Islamabad.

Zafar Iqbal Yousafzai, who was the principal at the Islamabad Model School, G-11/2, was made the FDE director (schools) three weeks ago leaving over 45 senior principals frustrated as they're to report to a junior officer. Yousafzai was recently promoted to BPS-19 with his name being near the bottom of the seniority list.

Teachers insist that Yousafzai's tenure on deputation outside the FDE has left him "ill-equipped" to address the challenges of schools, so he can't deliver in the key position at the regulator for Islamabad's government schools. They demand that a senior officer with extensive experience of dealing with school-related matters be appointed to the post to ensure the effective functioning of the education system.

Yousafzai's is not an isolated case. A week ago, Najeebullah was appointed the director (monitoring) at the FDE. Previously, he landed the principal's office at the Islamabad Model College for Boys G-11/1 despite being junior to more than 65 senior associate professors.

Similarly, Ayesha Kiyani, a junior associate professor (BPS-19), became the principal of the Islamabad Model College for Girls (Postgraduate) F-7/4 four months ago after the FDE ignored senior professors for the posting, which led to her performing a BPS-20 role while holding a BPS-19 position in utter disregard for the established hierarchy. Education officials and teachers argue that these appointments undermine the principles of meritocracy and set a "worrisome" precedent in the field of education.

“These questionable postings highlight the importance of ensuring that the institutions are led by experienced individuals who can effectively address the challenges facing the education sector. Re-evaluating these appointments may pave the way for a more transparent and merit-based system in the FDE ultimately benefiting both the educational institutions and their dedicated teachers," a teacher told 'The News'.