Court decision exposes chaos in Sindh’s education boards

The Sindh High Court's decision on Monday exposed the folly of appointments by the provincial government, which have affected the five education boards of Sindh.

The removal of the commissioner and subsequent reinstatements have highlighted the failure of the caretaker government's attempt to appoint commissioners instead of permanent chairmen to the educational boards across the province.

The reinstatement of Prof Nasim Memon as chairman of the Board of Intermediate Education Karachi (BIEK), alongside the removal of Commissioner Karachi Saleem Rajput, underscores the tumultuous situation within the educational administration. Moreover, similar actions have been witnessed in other boards across Sindh, with acting and deputed chairmen reclaiming their positions, signifying a significant setback for the Sindh government's initiative.

The lack of preparation by both the caretaker and current governments in addressing the issue of officers appointed on favoritism and political grounds has exacerbated the situation. Instead of appointing permanent officers based on merit through a search committee, commissioners were installed, leading to administrative chaos.

Dr Tariq Rafi, chairman of the Search Committee, had diligently advertised the posts for the appointment of various positions in all education boards of Sindh, even nominating experts for the search committee.

However, inexplicable delays by the caretaker chief minister resulted in additional names being added to the committee, leading to a halt in the recruitment process. The repercussions of this delay have been felt deeply, with the scrutiny of applications left incomplete and recruitment proceedings stalled due to a court stay. The uncertainty surrounding the future of these appointments remains, with even the Boards and Universities Department left in the dark regarding the situation.

In light of these developments, questions loom large over the efficacy of the government's approach to educational governance in Sindh, with the need for transparent and merit-based appointments becoming ever more apparent.