PESHAWAR – The educated youth of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have raised serious concerns over attempts to bypass the 25 percent initial recruitment quota for Assistant (BPS-16) positions in the Elementary & Secondary Education Department. While the total sanctioned strength of 397 Assistants mandates 99 positions for direct recruitment, reports suggest the department is considering reducing this number to 55 or absorbing the rest into internal promotions.
The graduates warn that with unemployment among degree holders reaching critical levels, the quota is a vital opportunity for merit-based employment. They argue that every post diverted from open recruitment closes the door on hardworking candidates and fuels brain drain from the province.
The controversy escalated after the Chairman of the Inquiry and Scrutiny Committee formally recommended that all 99 posts be advertised through ETEA or KPPSC. Any deviation from this recommendation is being viewed as a violation of fairness and administrative integrity. Concerns have also been raised over the impartiality of certain committee members, with allegations that union influence and involvement of officials with pending disciplinary cases could compromise the recruitment process.
The graduates argue that this creates conflicts of interest and undermines public trust. The KP Fresh Graduates Union has called for immediate action, demanding the advertisement of all 99 posts as recommended, suspension of the Departmental Promotion Committee until the quota is secured, and the replacement of the current departmental committee with a high-level Secretariat Committee to ensure transparency.
The youth of KP insist they are not seeking favors but insist that the law be followed. They warn that failure to uphold the quota will push talented graduates to seek opportunities outside the province, and emphasize that merit-based recruitment must not be sacrificed for departmental convenience. Regarding this news story, attempts were made to contact Secretary Education Khalid, the Special Secretary Education, the Additional Secretary Education, and the Director of Education via SMS to obtain their official comments. However, no response was received. If they wish to provide their stance after the publication of the news, the newspaper will ensure that it is duly published.
