DEO Mardan, deputy transferred over alleged illegal appointments

MARDAN: The secretary Elementary and Secondary Education, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa transferred the district education officer (DEO) (female) and deputy district education officer (female) along with other staff for allegedly being involved in illegal appointments, sources said.

The sources added that the secretary education issued a letter No. So(S/F) E&SED/4-16/2020 on December 2, stating that the services of DEO Female Mardan, Farzana Sardar and her deputy Rukhsana Rahim had been placed at the disposal of director of Elementary and Secondary Education Peshawar.

The notification said that DEO (Male) Mardan, Mohammad Idrees was directed to hold additional charge of the post of DEO (Female) till further orders.

On December 2, the director Elementary and Secondary Education, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also issued three other notifications, transferring more than 26 non-teaching staff of the EDO Female office to different schools and offices of the district.

The source added that more than 148 men and women were allegedly illegally appointed at different schools and offices in Mardan.

The sources said 18 employees have already been allegedly declared illegal and inquiry was underway in the appointment of other female and male employees.

According to the sources, incidents of harassment also occurred in the office of the DEO Female. On September 21, a female teacher Shazia Naz submitted a complaint at the office of the director Education KP, accusing an employee of demanding sexual favours from her. She alleged in her complaint that another employee of the DEO Female office demanded a bribe from her.

A copy of her complaint was also sent to the office of the DEO Female, the deputy commissioner, director Anti-Corruption Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, education minister and Chief Minister’s Complaint Cell.

The sources added that several complaints were received by the secretary and director Elementary and Secondary Education KP, which prompted the two officials to issue the notifications transferring these employees. It isn’t clear if and when disciplinary action would be initiated against the concerned staff members.

When contacted EDO-F Farzana Sardar said that a gang of clerks was working in the EDO female office and at some schools.

“This gang of clerks is involved in these issues,” she said, adding that harassment of teachers complaints were also received about some clerks. She said that her signature was scanned on an order of a laboratory attendant.

She added that a guest teacher also received salary from Government Girls High School (GGH) Moti Banda. The DDEO female issued the transfer orders of NTS teachers, she said, adding that in this connection she had already started an inquiry and a complaint was filed with the chief minister. Involved in any irregularity however the CM transferred all the staff of EDO-female office in the current time.