Due to a shift of administrative and financial powers from the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) to educational institutions, the processing and finalization of pension cases for retiring teachers have ground to a halt, leaving many in a state of uncertainty.
The teachers find themselves moving from pillar to post in pursuit of their pension cases but are unable to complete the pension process due to administrative deadlock.
This deadlock arises from the objection raised by the Accountant General Pakistan Revenues (AGPR) regarding the delegation of administrative powers to educational institutions by the Ministry of Federal Education & Professional Training (MOFE&PT).
On April 19, the MOFE&PT executed a significant restructuring, decentralizing authority to educational institutions of Islamabad. This shift, aimed at streamlining decision-making processes and empower principals and heads of institutions, has inadvertently sparked a conflict over the handling of pension cases.
Previously, pension cases were routed through the FDE, with principals and heads of educational institutions sending the necessary documentation to the FDE for onward transmission to the Accountant General Pakistan Revenues (AGPR). However, following the delegation of powers, the responsibility for forwarding pension cases directly to AGPR fell upon the principals and heads of institutions.
This transition has hit a snag, as the AGPR has raised objections and concerns regarding the financial and administrative authority now vested in the educational institutions. In a letter addressed to the education ministry seeking clarification, the AGPR halted the processing of pension cases.—APP
