Moalims

KARACHI, Pakistan: The Sindh government is seriously considering to declare education as an `essential service’ so that working of teaching staff in schools could be improved and strengthened further.

Under this arrangement union activities would be banned. This decision was taken in a meeting under the chairmanship of Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah to review the progress of Education Department.

A statement on Wednesday said that the meeting was attended by Senior Minister for Finance Syed Murad Ali Shah, Chief Secretary Siddique Memon, Principal Secretary to CM Alamuddin Bullo, Additional Chief Secretary (Dev) Aijaz Ali Khan, Secretary Education Fazal Pechuho and others.

Briefing the chief minister, secretary Education Fazal Pechuho said that he has developed a biometric system in which the attendance of teaching staff is not only verified but monitored.

“Over 90 percent data of teachers have been uploaded in the system and it has started working,” he said.

He said that through biometric system the appointment, transferred and promotions are being verified.

“In various districts some promotions have been found illegal and necessary action have been taken,” he said and added that this system has also helped to trace out ghost employees, late commerce, habitual absentees and bogus appointments.

The chief minister asked him how much enrolment ratio has improved during the last few years, the secretary said by two percent.

“It was 52 percent in 2002 and now it stands at 54 percent,” he said.

On this the chief minister showed his dissatisfaction saying that it must be improved and taken as target but rather to say as mission.

The chief secretary said that he had developed close working relationship between the Education Department, Accountant General Sindh and Finance department.

“Through this coordination the matter of bogus appointments has come to an end because the AG Sindh do not accept such orders until they are sent to them by the secretary education with his code”.

The chief secretary said that various bogus appointments were traced out in Sukkur and Matiari while illegal promotions found in Qambar-Shadadkot.

On this the chief minister said “not only the recoveries be made from the people involved in illegal appointments and promotions but cases must be registered against them,”

The chief minister expressing his displeasure on the press statements of the teachers associations said that their job was to take classes but they are doing politics.

“Teachers are not supposed to form unions and act like political parties,” he said and directed the chief secretary and secretary education to suggest him ways and means to declare education sector as essential service.

The chief minister also directed the secretary education to follow the case in the Supreme Court where some teachers have challenged the separation of teaching and management cadre.

“This is most important. Teacher should not be given management but they are meant for teaching and their teaching capabilities be enhanced instead of wasting them in administration”, he added.
News Reference