MPAs' interference in education dept hampers postings on merit.

Byline: Mohammad Ashfaq

PESHAWAR -- Unprecedented interference of Pakistan Tahreek-i-Insaf members of the provincial assembly in the affairs of Elementary and Secondary Education (E and SE) Department has been hampering the posting of competent officers on merit, according to officials.

The posts of district education officers and important positions in the seven boards of intermediate and secondary education, schools and training institutions are usually filled with those recommended by the MPAs instead of the ones transferred on merit by the department.

The MPAs could be seen visiting the offices in the provincial secretariat of the education department to manage posting of their own people on the desired posts, the officials in education department told Dawn.

A recent example in this regard is the posting of deputy director administration, University of Malakand (UoM) Chakdara, Mohammad Naseem Khan as controller of the Peshawar Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education. Naseem is the son of PTI MPA Mohammad Azam Khan.

Minister says lawmakers have to be in touch with the dept to resolve public issues

The sources said that the E and SE Department, provincial establishment department and the education board had opposed the posting of Mr Naseem as he was neither an academician nor he had the experience of conducting examinations.

They said Mr Naseem was an administrative officer at UoM having no academic experience while the controller of examinations should be a competent academician. The controller is responsible for making all arrangements for holding the intermediate and matriculation examinations, including paper setting and checking, deputing invigilators at examination halls and controlling the secrecy section of the education board.

They said the controller should have sufficient knowledge of curriculum, students learning outcome, evaluation of test items, etc.

The officials said that when the education and establishment departments opposed the posting of Mr Naseem as controller, his father MPA Mohammad Azam along with other MPAs put pressure on the chief minister and education minister and finally got him posted as controller.

'The chief minister has approved the posting of Mr Naseem as controller of Peshawar board a few days ago though the education department and Peshawar board had termed him unfit for the post,' the officials said.

In another case, on the intervention of special assistant to chief minister on anti-corruption...