ISLAMABAD: While the country grapples with an education emergency, both public and private regulatory bodies in Islamabad operate under temporary arrangements, casting doubt on the efficiency of the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training.
The Federal Directorate of Education (FDE), which oversees more than 430 schools and colleges across the capital, has been managed informally since July 2023. Likewise, the office of the chairperson of the Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (Peira) has been held under interim arrangements since January this year.
Notably, a few months ago the Prime Minister’s Office requested a report from the education ministry on this issue, yet both positions remain vacant.
A joint secretary of the education ministry has been supervising FDE’s affairs for several years, while the executive director of the Inter-Board Coordination Commission has been overseeing Peira for the last four months.
“A thorough inquiry is needed to assign responsibility for this unacceptable delay. The post of DG FDE has been vacant for around three years, which is a grave concern,” a schoolteacher said.
After a substantial delay, the ministry last year referred the DG appointment case to the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC).
Following merit‑based testing and interviews, the FPSC recommended Javed Iqbal Mirza as DG FDE on March 4 this year.
The FPSC has also sent a letter to the ministry on the recommendation. Surprisingly, the ministry and federal government have not appointed Mr Mirza as FDE chief, who remains the director of administration at FDE.
Sources say Mr Mirza filed a petition with the Islamabad High Court after months of waiting, seeking his appointment in light of the FPSC’s recommendation.
The ministry is expected to file its reply at the next hearing, likely scheduled for the second week of June.
Peira, the second key organization under the education ministry, also functions without a permanent chairperson. Earlier, former chairperson Dr Zia Batool resigned to lead another organization.
Since January 7, the acting charge of Peira’s chairperson has been assigned to the executive director of IBCC for three months, and he was recently given another three‑month extension as the ministry has not completed the hiring process.
Secretary Education Nadeem Mahbub was not available for comment, but other officials said the ministry aims to fill both posts promptly.
“Technical issues were involved in appointing the DG of FDE, and the ministry and federal government will present their perspective before the court,” an unnamed ministry officer said. He added that the process of hiring Peira’s chairperson was near completion, with a shortlist of three candidates forwarded to the PM’s office after the competitive process.