ISLAMABAD: The Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) appointed three new education officers as part of the Prime Minister`s Education Reform Programme.

CADD has also decided to appoint six area education of ficers when there were five positions earlier. Schools in urban areas will be looked after by two area education officers, one each in Urban I and Urban II.

The Federal Directorate of Education (FDE), which is supervising 422 educationalinstitutions, has schools in hve educational sectors including Tarnol, Sihala, Bhara Kahu, Nilor and now Urban I and Urban II.

School principals will be given temporary charge of looking after the positions of the remaining three positions of area education officers.

`Ideally, all the posts of area education officers should have been filled via the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC). However, CADD appointed three officers on a contract basis by itself,` said an FDE official, who added that the officers have been appointed in grade 19.

Advisor for the Prime Minister`s Education Reform Programme, Ali Raza defended the decision and said the appointments were made in a transparent manner.

`Since making appointments through the FPSC takes time, CADD decided to make the appointments itself on a contract basis,` he said.

According to a notification issued by CADD on Wednesday, the newly appointed area education officer Sohail Khan has been deployed in Nilor and Saira Amjad and Nazmeen Sohail in Urban I and Sihala respectively.

Dr Shafgat Ali, the principal of Islamabad Model School for Boys G-10 was temporarily performing the duties of an area education officer in Sihala was appointed in Urban II and will also be carrying out his responsibilities as principal.

The principal of IMSB Chattar, Mohammad Riaz was given temporary charge as area education officer Bhara Kahu and the principal of IMCB G-7/2, Mr Tharomal was given charge as an officer in Nilor, which was later cancelled.

The appointment of these officers is considered a major step as before this, principals who had influence would get themselves appointed on these posts.

Last year, two principals serving as area education officers were removed from their positions as area education of ficers for illegally appointing teachers on a daily wage basis.

The current CADD management has appointed at least three full time area education officers, but has attracted criticism for making the appointments itself.

`Three area education officers have been appointment and CADD will be appointing three more, for which the services of the FPSC should be sought,` a school principal said.

The excuse that the FPSC takes more time is not good enough as it can be asked to speed up the process for the Prime Minister`s Education Reform Package, he said.