FDE employees to stage sit-in at D-Chowk today

Islamabad : A retired principal of the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) in an open letter has said that the government's decision to place educational institutions under the Municipal Corporation of Islamabad (MCI) would cause irreparable damage to the cause of education in the federal capital.

Gulzar Asghar, the retired principal questioned how the MCI which was not able to meet its own expenses, would be able to arrange a budget for over 400 colleges and schools. The educationist also observed that it would also not be possible for the MCI to pay salaries and allowances of nearly 20,000 teaching and non-teaching staff and expenses on their medical treatment.

Gulzar Asghar pointed out that there would be no change in the Civil Government status of employees then why did the Government place them under FDE. He said gradually the MCI would put out an end to free education and provision of free-of-cost books and children would start dropping out of schools. “For the time being, the government people will give assurances to FDE employees and parents but consequences of the ICT Local Government Ordinance, 2021 would start coming after a few years which would be very damaging.

He said the government should have constituted a commission after a debate in the Parliament and taking stakeholders into confidence.

Gulzar Asghar demanded of the Government to withdraw the controversial clause of the ICT Local Government Ordinance in the better interest of education itself, FDE employees, and students.

Meanwhile, nearly 2000 FDE employees are all set to stage a sit-in at D Chow on Thursday (today) to protest against the Government's decisions. Prior to sit-in, the employees on call of the Federal Government Education Joint Action Committee would gather in front of the National Press Club from where they would march towards D-Chowk for sit-in till acceptance of their demands.

The teaching and non-teaching staff of FDE educational institutions continued their strike for the second-day running after the failure of the Action Committee's talks with Special Assistance to the Prime Minister Ali Nawaz Awan and Education Ministry's officials.