LAHORE - Punjab Education Department (School Wing) has started vigorous campaign against absenteeism of subject specialists posted in the higher secondary schools following reports that hundreds of them were missing. The campaign has been launched on the pattern of Higher Education Wing of the department, which found recently over 600 lecturers absent from duties since months and years whose services were terminated to recruit fresh incumbents. The school wing of the department has issued notices to subject specialists (SS) and senior subjects specialists (SSS) through newspaper advertisements to report for duty, majority of whom failed to do so prompting action against them. It is reported that hundreds of SSS and SS are absent from duty from 500 boys and girls higher secondary schools in the province but are receiving salaries from the government exchequer. As many as 17 SSS and SS are posted in a school. Due to their absence, the higher secondary school system catering intermediate classes have crumbled down. The three tier school education systems i.e elementary, secondary and higher secondary was evolved in 1970 but the third tier of higher secondary education has been jeopardised due to mismanagement. The government plans to transfer intermediate classes from degree colleges to higher secondary schools but this plan is bound to meet a great set back due to non-availability of teachers in the form of SS and SSS. While most of them have secured other jobs, some of them managed to get themselves appointed on administrative posts in the Punjab education department and education wing of the City District Governments like Deputy Education Officers (EDOs), section officers & assistant directors etc in grade 18 and 19 and as headmasters/headmistresses. The education department is short of administrative officers pending recruitment by the Public Service Commission and they have no other option but to acquire the services of teachers to cope with the rush of work. PEF to hold summer camps Punjab Education Foundation (PEF) has allowed its partner schools in 29 districts to hold free summer camps for the students. However, these schools cannot receive any fee from the students. The purpose is to help the students to improve their didactic performance. This was stated by PEF Director Foundation Assisted School Programme Nadeem Masood while addressing the partner schools management of 11 districts at Children Library Complex, here Monday. The ceremony was arranged by the Punjab Education Foundation to distribute Student Information System software CDs among schools. He said that partner schools were also allowed to operate two campuses besides allowing inter-tehsils migration of students. While giving a detail of PEF initiatives to facilitate the partner schools, he said online complaints lodging facility was also introduced and all complaints were dealt with within three days.