Opposition grills KP govt over mishandling teachers’ appointment

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government came under sharp criticism in the provincial assembly on Friday over its apparent failure to manage the recruitment of teachers in government schools through private testing agencies.

As the House started proceedings chaired by Speaker Mushtaq Ghani, Opposition Leader Akram Khan Durrani said on an adjournment motion that many irregularities were reported in the tests for appointment of teachers in Bannu and Lakki Marwat districts under the Fair Testing Service (FTS), a private testing agency. However, he said, instead of cancelling the tests, the testing agency went ahead and completed the exams under controversial circumstances. He said the paper was leaked before the exam and other so many irregularities were also reported, but the KP Elementary and Secondary Education Department (ESED) chose to look the other way. The opposition leader said the whole process of appointment of teachers by the FTS has become controversial and it has been widely reported on the mainstream and social media. He said such recruitments will dent the quality of education in the province and deserving candidates will remain deprived.

Akram Durrani alleged that former adviser to KP CM on ESED Ziaullah Bangash owned shares in the testing agency that is why he stuck with it despite so many complaints of irregularities. He demanded a thorough investigation into the whole issue.

Newly-appointed Education Minister Akbar Ayub Khan said the testing agency has obtained a stay order from the court. He said the said testing agency will be blacklisted if it failed to deliver.

The ANP lawmaker Khushdil Khan said the government should trust its own testing agencies for recruitments.

The KP Assembly passed the KP Civil Administration (Public Service Delivery and Good Governance) Bill 2020 which was tabled by Law Minister Barrister Sultan Muhammad Khan. Tourism Minister Atif Khan tabled KP Vagrancy Restraint Bill 2020, and the KP Government Rest Houses and Tourism Properties (Development, Management and Regulation) Bill 2020. Under the vagrancy law, parents of children found begging will be fined and could also face imprisonment if they force their children into seeking alms. The bill also stated that anyone found in obscene or vulgar activities will be imprisoned for three years.