QUETTA- Education department in Government of Balochistan is running on ad hoc basis as 38 key positions of the department are lying vacant. These positions include Secretary Secondary Education, Director Education (Schools), Director Board of Curriculum, Chairman Balochistan Text Book Board amongst others.

According to data from sources in the Education Department, 25 of the vacant positions are given in “Look after Charge” to junior officers, whereas the remaining are fully vacant.

These posts are of grade B-18 to B-20 but are being managed by junior officers and teachers of B-17 grade on ad hoc basis.

District Education Officer (DEO) is the administrative head of primary and secondary education department in districts and nine positions of DEOs in important districts are vacant or are under “Look after Charge.”

Effectively, in 19 district out of 32 in Balochistan, education department is controlled by junior SST teachers on ad hoc basis.

It was also revealed through the documents that eight officers of Education department in grades of B-17 to B-19 are Officers on Special Duty (OSD), but they are not being posted to the vacant positions. OSD is a ceremonial position which is often used to punish the government officers.

A well-placed source in the Education department, who wished not to be named, blamed the Education Minister for the ad-hocism in the department. “In education department all positions are being filled on political basis, by juniors who do not have a good reputation.”

The source further added that a junior officer who is still facing charges of inquiry in education department was made the Director of Education on political basis.

Education Department was not available for a comment when contacted.

Education in Balochistan saw a revival under the leadership of former Secretary Ghulam Ali Baloch and his successor Abdul Saboor Kakar. However, it’s alleged that downfall of the education department started on 22nd June 2016, when Government of Balochistan transferred Abdul Saboor Kakar from the position of Secretary Education and made him Officer on Special duty (OSD).

Similarly, a share of Education in provincial budget 2016-17 also fell down to 17 percent in 2016 as compared to almost 20 percent last year. Development budget of education as a percentage of total development budgets also fell steeply to 9 percent in 2016-17 budget as compared to 25 percent last year.