KARACHI: The Sindh Universities and Boards Department has issued an ambiguous and illegitimate advertisement for the recruitment of chairpersons in five education boards of Sindh.
According to details, the advertisement has been issued for the vacant posts of Chairman of five Boards of Education across Sindh, which includes Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Sukkur, Shaheed Benazirabad, Hyderabad, Mirpur Khas and Board of Technical Education Karachi.
Meanwhile, the authorities have appointed chairpersons of two other boards, Board of Secondary Education Karachi, Board of Intermediate Education Karachi. Moreover, the order of Sindh High Court has also been issued for the appointment of Chairman of Larkana Board.
According to the advertisement published yesterday, candidate for the post of Chairman Board should have a master’s degree from an approved university. However, the authorities have not mentioned the division from which it is feared that the candidate holding third division degree may also be appointed.
On the other hand, a candidate for the post of Chairman Education Board should have at least 17 years of experience in Grade 17 or 8 years of experience in Grade 18. However, the search committee has not mention the relevant experience, which includes academic, teaching, or administrative experience.
The advertisement has raised concern that an ineligible candidate holding 17 years of experience in BPS-17 and 8 years of experience in BPS-19 can be appointed.
The authorities have also created space for private sector people, according to which a person, working in a senior management post in the private sector, will also be eligible for Chairman of the Board of Education. The search committee now has the power to appoint an ineligible person as chairman of the board of education.
Educationist Zahid Ahmed, while highlighting the importance of Board of Education, asserted that in the history of Pakistan, there has always been a tradition of appointing academics and senior teachers as the Chairman of the Board of Education. “However, it has now become the norm to keep academics and senior teachers away from the post,” he claimed.
According to 2016 documents obtained by M.M News, for the appointment of Chairmen of Boards of Education across Sindh, at least a Master’s degree in the Second Division, 17 years experience of teaching and learning and 8 years experience in performing administrative duties in the department was sought.
However, according to 2019 documents, the authorities removed requirements, which include 17 years of compulsory teaching experience, age limit and preference for PhD degree holder candidates, for the post of Chairman Education Board. While 10 years of experience in various fields was made mandatory, paving way for appointing individuals from other fields.
In 2019, the authorities appointed a candidate with a veterinary degree for the post of Chairman of the Technical Education Board, neglecting the eligible candidate with relevant teaching experience and education.
In this regard, Dr Amir Taseen, Executive Director, Majlis-e-Alim Foundation, asserted that for the post of Chairman Board of Education, a person with at least a Masters degree should be appointed. “The mysterious silence of the teachers’ unions on the new policy of appointing the Board of Education is both surprising and regrettable,” he added.
It is pertinent to mention here that Chairman Intermediate Board Sukkur Mujtaba Shah, Chairman Intermediate Board Hyderabad Muhammad Memon, and Chairman Intermediate Board Mirpur Khas Barkat Ali Haideri have been retired from the services.
