PESHAWAR: The appointment of a coordinator in presence of principal and vice-principal has created a parallel administration and subsequent irregularities in admission, appointments, assigning academic duties to teachers and allotment of homes at Islamia Collegiate, the affiliated school of Islamia College University, according to sources.

Former vice-chancellor of Islamia College University Prof Naushad Khan had appointed Masoom Khattak, a teacher of the Islamia Collegiate School (ICS), as coordinator to principal. However, the teachers of the school complained that there was no need for the new position in the presence of a regular principal.

ICU registrar says the decision was made to facilitate school principal

Sources said that intra-campus transfers of teachers, new appointments, irregularities in admissions, allotment of official residences, assignment of duties to teachers and unjustifiable distribution of classes showed that the coordinator was calling the shots while the regular principal was a silent spectator.

The registrar of Islamia College University (ICU) rejected all charges and said that the appointment was made to assist the principal in administrative and academic affairs of the school.

Sources said that every year, ICS conducted one test for admission but the session 2020-21 saw more than one test and failed students were admitted. They added that even students with same roll number, and those who had not taken the test, were admitted to the school.

Sources said that experienced teachers were recently terminated but new ones were recruited without following laid down criteria. ICS has three campuses where teachers work for years. Teachers wanted to get chance to teach in other sections under a policy but they were placed on the basis of nepotism and favouritism, they said.

Sources said that the transfers of many teachers from one section of the school to another were cancelled by the coordinator. They added that the posts of senior wardens, wardens and controller examinations etc were given to few staff members but most of the 81 permanent teachers of the school were ignored.

These positions carry allowances. Some teachers have more than one position in addition to their basic duty of teaching, for which they are paid.

Allocation of subjects to teachers is an also a matter of concern as some of them have been assigned to teach such subjects in which they have no qualification.

Legal issues over allotment of official residences of the school have been causing problems as many houses remained closed. Even the under-construction house of the principal has been vacant for the past one and half years.

According to sources, several teachers of the school have moved court for their promotions owing to lack of interest by the administration. They alleged that the female principal of the school acted as post office while the entire powers were exercised by the coordinator.

Prof Mohammad Ibrar, the registrar of ICU, when contacted, said that there were no irregularities and the appointment of coordinator was in the interest of the school.

“We have three campuses of the school. The current principal is from junior section (primary school) but she is the senior most. We have three hostels for boys. Due to gender balance, to assist the female principal in all matters related to boys where senior class are teenager, the coordinator to principal was needed,” he said.

Prof Ibrar said that the coordinator was assigned duties in ICS’s campus of Boy High School to assist and facilitate the principal in matters wherever needed. All had been assigned the charge on merit in the best interest of the institution, he added.

He said that there was no such issue and the current principal had not reported any such thing. “No such post has been created. He gets so salary and no allowance. He is the most senior teacher of the school and acts as a helper and performs duty without additional benefits,” said Prof Ibrar.

Published in Dawn, November 16th, 2020