he incumbent director general of the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) will be retiring in the second week of this month, and the directorate will once again have to look for another head.

Tasked with looking after the affairs of 422 educational institutes, the FDE has had around a dozen different heads during the last three years which has resulted in a volatile administrative policy which has in turn effected education under the jurisdiction of the directorate.

The incumbent DG Dr Shahnaz Riaz has fought for the seat many times and managed to get it back according to directives from the courts. She will now be retiring on Dec 10, and it is high time for the Ministry of Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) to make a permanent appointment on the post according to merit and the rules and regulations.

Every change in the FDE has an impact on all the 422 educational institutions it looks after, said an official of the directorate, which is why the new appointment should be made in a transparent manner and should be permanent.

According to the rules, those eligible to be appointed as FDE DG are senior most directors in grade 20 of the directorate and principals of FG coIIeges.

The prime minister selects a name from a panel of three.

According to sources, several FDE and CADD officials have been trying to secure an appointment on the post on a temporary basis.

`The position should be filled on a temporary basis. There is one grade 20 director in the FDE and at least three FG college principals are also eligible,` said Prof Sagheer Ahmed Mirani, president of the FG College Teacher Association.

The FDE will be taking several initiatives under the Prime Minister`s Education Reforms Program, including the appointment of teachers, which makes the appointment of a permanent DG all the more important.

The federal government has created the post of executive director in grade 21 in March this year but has not yet taken steps to fill that post.