Zubair Qureshi
A large number of teachers working on deputation under wedlock policy are waiting for the nod of the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) despite an order of the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
On Feb 17, Chief Justice Athar Minallah had declared that the directorate had issued these teachers repatriation orders in a stereotypical way and without application of mind and thus these orders stand suspended.
CJ Minallah’s order had paved the way for these teachers to resume their duties at the FDE schools.
However, despite eleven days since the order came, the FDE is yet to issue cancellation of the repatriation orders it issued in Dec 2020 in compliance with an order by Justice Miangul Aurangzeb in case of deputation teachers.
After the said order by the court, the FDE passed ‘stereotype’ notification to all the teachers on deputation directing them to leave the charge with immediate effect and report to their parent departments in all the provinces of the country including the AJK and the Gilgit Baltistan.
The FDE was challenged by the affected teachers in the IHC Chief Justice court as well as in an intra-court appeal and both the forums made it clear to the FDE it had misunderstood the said orders and should not dislocate these teachers in such an abrupt manner.
FDE Director Law, Azam Gakhar has also submitted to the court the directorate didn’t have any grudge against these teachers, as they are doing excellent jobs and recipients of best teachers’ awards. However, he said it was in compliance with the court (Miangul Aurangzeb’s) orders.
Now since it has been made clear to the FDE it didn’t read the judge’s order correctly and should withdraw the repatriation orders, the FDE is still reluctant to do so.
On the other hand, as schools are resuming the normal routine of five-day-a-week classes from today (Monday), heads of schools are in a fix on how to manage the classes in absence of the teachers who have been ‘repatriated’ by the FDE.
While talking to Pakistan Observer, a number of teachers, mostly female, expressed their anguish that they are not being taken back by the FDE despite the court’s orders.
“Where is the delay, the FDE should read the IHC single and double benches’ orders. They have asked the directorate not to repatriate us,” said one of the teachers and has been teaching in a G-7 school and earlier in G-8 for years on deputation.
If they don’t take us back, this will not only be a contempt of court, it will also be an injustice to the students and the schools’ administration, she further said.
A senior official of the FDE requesting not to be named confirmed there were some hurdles in these teachers’ rejoining but they will be removed soon.
“We are devising a formula to give all the teachers under wedlock policy one-time induction as Minister Shafqat Mehmood and Secretary have in principle agreed,” he further said.
