In a significant move to tackle the acute shortage of teaching staff in Punjab, the government has announced the recruitment of 30,000 visiting teachers for schools in the initial phase. This decision comes as the School Education Department (SED) grapples with a shortage of 115,000 teachers across the province, a challenge that has persisted since the last major recruitment of schoolteachers in 2018 under the PML-N government.
During the tenure of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), approximately 400 to 500 appointments were made, predominantly in two districts: Murree and Mianwali. The PTI government introduced a hiring process resembling that of the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC). Additionally, the introduction of College Teaching Interns (CTIs) was aimed at filling vacancies in colleges, with recent graduates eligible to apply for these positions and receive a monthly salary of Rs25,000.
Currently, the government is contemplating the recruitment of 30,000 schoolteachers on a visiting basis. These teachers will be remunerated based on the number of lectures delivered. To support this initiative, additional funds will be allocated to school councils to cover the salaries of visiting teachers. Moreover, the councils will undertake the responsibility of generating funds to address other school expenses.
However, Rana Liaqat, the General Secretary of the Punjab Teachers Union (PTU), has urged the government to initiate permanent recruitment in the school department to effectively address the teacher shortage. According to Liaqat, recruiting teachers on a permanent basis is the most sustainable solution. He has expressed concerns about the potential challenges associated with hiring visiting teachers and emphasizes the importance of a stable teaching staff for the effective functioning of schools.
