ISLAMABAD: The Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) on Tuesday announced that a ‘no-refusal policy’ will be implemented for all admissions to classes I to X. However, students can still be sent to a nearby school if no seats are available.

In addition, more than 90 textbooks of the total 103 titles in the curriculum will be handed over to the students of federal capital by May 15.

Two model colleges will be established in Bhara Kahu and Tarnol in the next financial year.

This was announced by Rafique Tahir, joint secretary of the Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD), at a press conference on Tuesday.

“There are 424 educational institutions in the federal capital but admissions are an issue for only 19 Islamabad model colleges (IMCs). However, because of problems at these 19 institutions, there is an impression that there is a huge problem,” said Rafique Tahir, who also holds charge of the FDE.

“Almost 8,000 to 10,000 students are admitted to Class I every year. However 40,000 students can be accommodated in Class I across 404 educational institutions every year. The problem is that most people want their children to attend the IMCs which have limited seats,” he said.

“A meeting of principals has been called on Wednesday (today) where they will be instructed to accept all admissions because after the promulgation (April 19, 2010) of Article 25-A, it has become mandatory to accommodate all students,” he said.

“In case of more applicants as compared to seats in a school, remaining students will be automatically referred to nearby schools. Majority of people want to admit their children in the Islamabad College for Boys G-6/3.

“There are 12 schools in Sector G-6 and most of them have 50 per cent vacant seats. So students will be referred there and quality of education will be improved,” he said.

Mr Tahir announced that there will be complete ban on the admissions in evening shift due to which within four years evening shift will be completely abolished as primary and middle level students will complete schooling.

“As far as transfer from evening to morning shift is concerned, students can be transferred from evening to morning if their brothers or sisters study in morning shift. If parents are government servants or students have any medical problem, case will be considered for transfer,” he said.

Issue of Books

Mr Tahir said every year issue of books, which are handed over to students free, is raised. This year although funds were released but Accountant General of Pakistan Revenue (AGPR) raised objection that books cannot be printed without tender.

“Because of AGPR’s decision authors of books went to the Islamabad High Court and obtained stay order.

The AGPR has finally reconsidered the objection due to which court stay was withdrawn on April 5.

The FDE has been trying its best to handover the books by May 15 and day and night printing is being done,” he said.

“Books have been handed over to students of Matric. Students of V and VII have to wait because their syllabus has been changed and they will get all books before summer vacations,” he said.

Daily Wage Teachers

Discussing the issue of teachers on daily wages, Tahir said schools will pay the salary to daily wage teachers till May 31, and after that AGPR will pay them the salary.

“It has been decided that new recruitments of teachers will be done on permanent basis and for that BA B.Ed will be the minimum qualification,” he said.

Mr Tahir said there were 11 computer labs in the educational institutions. Teachers were appointed during the tenure of former government but computers could not be purchased.

“Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Prof Ahsan Iqbal has agreed to provide Rs1.228 billion for the 25 projects due to which not only computers will be purchased but as many as 60 educational institutions will get resources of IMCs in next financial year,” he said.