ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Education has termed the transfer of Education Ministry to provinces under the 18th amendment as a threat to Federation.
The committee that met here on Monday with its Chairman Abid Sher Ali in the chair, decided to send its recommendations to constitutional reforms committee to have a review of its decision to devolve the Education Ministry to the provinces and also to make them a part of 19th amendment.
The committee expressed serious reservations over some clauses of 18th amendment related to development of curriculum, which had been given to provinces.
“Education and particularly curriculum is a core issue for country adding that at least syllabus should be uniformed in the greatest interest of Pakistan,” Abid Sher Ali observed.
The committee directed the Education Ministry’s high-ups for a detailed briefing to committee on December 21, on the impact of handing over ministry to the provinces. Meanwhile, committee members were shocked when they were informed by Director General (DG) of Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) as they were paying Rs 6000 per month to contractual teachers. Abid Sher Ali took serious note for sheer violation of labour rules as in labour policy maximum salary of labourer should not be less than 7000. He directed Federal Secretary Education Athar Tahir to submit a detailed report in this regard.
The committee also directed secretary Education to play his role to regularize all contractual teachers. Upon this, the secretary informed the committee that efforts were being made in this regard and a summary had been moved to Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) and other concerned departments.
The committee Chairman directed to convenors of sub-committees to submit their reports on three bills which were lying pending with them for the last two years. These bills include Compulsory School Attendance Bill 2008, Islamabad Capital Territory Private Educational Institutions (Regulation and Promotion) and Corporal Punishment Bill.
The committee took serious notice of sudden increased in transport fees by Federal Directorate of Education as Schools increased transport charges from Rs 2000 to Rs 5000.
The committee directed FDE Chairman Aurangzeb Rehman for not further collection of increased fee. The committee sought a details report from FDE in this regard. The committee also took notice of irregularities in the appointments in FDE and asked the sub committee to present its final probing report by Dec 20.
