As per the official directives of Education Director, FATA Secretariat, the Agency for Education Officers (AEOs) conducted interviews of CTs, PTCs, DMs and TTs for the vacancies at various schools of South and North Waziristan Agencies on April 14-15, 2008. However, their appointment orders are still pending due to an unreasonable ban on employment. It may be mentioned here that the appointment orders of the selected candidates were expected to be issued at the end of July or in the first week of August 2008. But that has not been done till todate. This unjustifiable delay on the part of FATA Secretariat is paramount to an open violation of the recent progressive initiatives by the government in the province in general and FATA in particular. Moreover, it also negates the high and hollow slogans made by our elected representatives as well as by our high ups regarding the development measures taken in the field of education in the tribal areas. A number of unemployed poor educated youth who appeared for interview are waiting for the final decision of FATA Secretariat with regard to the withdrawal of its long imposed ban on appointments. It is also important to note that Agency Education Officer, considered the direct spokesman of Agency Education, is unable to have a proper dialogue with FATA Secretariat as well as other concerned people. However the president of the Teachers Association has held several meetings with the concerned director. It is high time the Agency Education Officers and FATA Secretariat officials paid due heed to the genuine demand of our poor educated youth. -ASGHAR KHAN MAHSUD, South Waziristan Agency, via e-mail, February 10.