Hundreds of Secondary School Teachers (SSTs) working under the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) are demanding that the long-awaited Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) meeting be convened without further delay to address their stalled promotions from BPS-17 to BPS-18. Frustration among SSTs has grown, with many waiting years for promotion and some retiring without ever advancing to the next scale.
Previous DPC meetings, held on August 26 and October 3, ended inconclusively due to concerns over teachers’ eligibility and inconsistencies in their Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs). The latest meeting, initially rescheduled for October 19, was canceled without explanation, prolonging the uncertainty for affected teachers. In a recent directive, FDE has asked approximately 250 SSTs to resubmit ACRs for verification, specifically requiring countersignatures from current FDE Directors if the reports were previously signed by former Area Education Officers who are no longer in service.
Adding to the complexity, the Ministry of Federal Education recently sought clarity from the Higher Education Commission (HEC) regarding qualification requirements. The HEC responded, affirming that an 18-month Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree, obtained after 16 years of education, is equivalent to a Master’s in Education (MEd), fulfilling the promotional requirement for SSTs.
This clarification is particularly relevant under new rules introduced in March 2019, which specify that only SSTs with an MEd alongside 16 years of education are eligible for promotion to BS-18. These guidelines, introduced through an SRO, have prevented numerous experienced SSTs and Vice Principals from being promoted, while some junior staff were promoted solely based on their MEd qualifications.
An official source highlighted, “HEC’s decision aligns with the Teachers Education Roadmap, clarifying that an 18-month BEd after 16 years of education meets the requirement. The Ministry’s reservations on this matter seem unwarranted given HEC’s role as the authority on degree equivalency.”
Despite the HEC’s input, the Ministry remains hesitant, forwarding an office memorandum to the Establishment Division for further guidance. The Establishment Division, however, advised the Ministry to honor HEC’s ruling, affirming that the commission holds ultimate authority on academic equivalencies.
The SSTs contend that with the Ministry’s SRO aligning with the Civil Servants (Appointment, Promotion, and Transfer) Rules of 1973, previous recruitment and promotion criteria no longer apply, reinforcing their eligibility. They are calling on FDE and the Ministry of Federal Education to act swiftly to resolve the issue and recognize their years of service, emphasizing that these prolonged delays undermine morale and educational progress.
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