Not regualarizing the teachers working on daily wages for last 10 to 14 years in FDE is a criminal act: Senator Irfan Siddiqui

ISLAMABAD, Dec 16 (SABAH): Meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training was held here at Parliament House on Friday with Senator Irfan Siddiqui in Chair.

Regarding the appointment and posting of junior lady teachers at Islamabad Model Colleges, one of the affectees apprised the committee that they were appointed on daily wages and after 10 to 14 years of service instead of regularizing the service, FDE decided that the destiny of employees from BPS 1 to 15 will be decided by the Cabinet and referred the cases of employees from BS 16 and above to Federal Public Service Commission. She further added that instead of regularizing the daily wages teachers the government has recently announced 525 posts in different grades.

Senator Irfan Siddiqui expressed displeasure over the absence of DG FDE and observed that regualrization is basic right of these teachers, who have been in service from the 10 to 15 years. Chairman Committee termed this act of FDE as Criminal and advised the affectees to provide all the relevant documents to the committee and directed the ministry to come up with definite answer to this pertinent issue in the next meeting. Chairman Committee directed that Secretary and Relevant Minister must ensure their presence in the next meeting of the committee.

While discussing the point of public importance raised by Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi relating to delay in examination faced by Students of Law in Bahauddin Zakariya University, Senator Irfan Siddiqui questioned that as to why didn’t the university conduct examination of law students despite clear recommendation by the committee in its previous meeting. In reply to that, Mansoor Akbar Kundi, VC of Bahauddin Zakariya University, stated that Supreme Court of Pakistan in its last hearing has restricted the university from the conducting the examination. However, Senator Irfan Siddiqui maintained that there is nothing of this sort mentioned in the Supreme Court’s 25th November order. The Senate Committee recommended the university to conduct the examination of law students within week and report back to the committee.

Furthermore, the senate committee deliberated on the Bill titled “The Right to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Bill, 2022”. Senator Fawzia Arshad, mover of the bill, stated that the bill aimed at making Subject “Computer Science” compulsory for one to twelve standard. Officials of HEC apprised the committee that the Subject “Computer Science” is already been made mandatory by the Government and it is also incorporated in National Curriculum.

Senator Irfan Siddiqui opined that there is no harm in passing the bill and it will provide further strength to HEC in enhancing the scope of computer science in national curriculum. The committee deferred the deliberations on the bill till the next meeting.

Moreover, the committee also discussed the Bill titled “The Al-Ala University Bill,2022” moved by Senator Mir Sarfarz Ahmed Khan Bugti. Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, Chairman HEC, informed the committee that no individual has submitted any feasibility report to HEC for the establishment of the said university which is considered to be standard practice. The Chair directed the representatives of university to complete all the procedural requirements with HEC and deferred the deliberation till the next meeting.

The meeting was attended by Senator Prof. Dr. Mehr Taj Roghani, Senator Fawzia Arshad, Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi, Senator Sarfaraz Ahmad Buggti, Chairman HEC Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed and other relevant officers of ministry were also in attendance.