FDE’s ban on hiring of daily wage staff leaves educational institutions in limbo

Islamabad: The Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) has plunged educational institutions into chaos with its recent directive, instructing schools and colleges to cease hiring teaching and non-teaching staff on a daily wage, contractual, contingent, and visiting basis. The move, ostensibly aimed at regulating staffing, has instead sparked a controversy, leaving institutions like Islamabad Model College for Girls (IMCG) I-8/3, IMCG I-14/3, IMCG Bhara Kahu, and IMCG Humak in dire straits.

IMCG Bhara Kahu, grappling with a student body of 1300, is now left with only four regular teachers, prompting the college to resort to hiring daily-wage staff. FDE's new directive, which requires written permission for staff appointments, has confounded many principals, raising the spectre of dismissing daily-wage teachers. Such a move threatens to disrupt the education of thousands of students, raising concerns about discipline and overall educational quality.

Criticism against FDE's decision is mounting, with institution heads expressing dismay over the lack of accountability and its adverse impact on students' education. Many view this move as a display of indifference, leaving educational institutions to deal with an unprecedented staffing crisis. An anonymous official pointed out, "FDE inaugurates schools and colleges in empty buildings, gaining cheap popularity with ministers and high-ups. Later, they vanish, leaving institutions without staff, forcing principals to bear the brunt of these actions. Why inaugurate institutions if staff is not provided?" he questioned.

As tension escalates, principals are contemplating the drastic step of laying off daily-wage staff in compliance with FDE's directive. However, such a move threatens to halt academic activities in these institutions, leaving students stranded in the midst of their education. The heads of institutions urged the Ministry of Education to intervene, resolve staffing issues, and ensure uninterrupted education for students in these institutions. The future of thousands of students hangs in the balance as the educational community anxiously awaits a resolution to this pressing crisis.