Punjab schools face shortage of 115,000 teachers

The number of vacant posts of primary teachers across the Punjab government schools has increased from 70,000 to 115,000, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Wednesday, quoting sources.

More than 9,000 primary schools in Punjab have been facing acute shortage of teachers.

In every primary school, there are only two or three teachers available to teach the students.

Moreover, the number of vacant posts of PST teachers in Lahore has reached more than 1,500.

Due to the shortage, the available teachers are facing difficulties in getting themselves transferred to other schools while women teachers have been forced to teach the students far away from their homes for over five years.

It is pertinent to mention here that in the previous government, the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) had to examine the recruitment of 14 thousand teachers but due to a change of government, the process of recruitment of teachers was stopped.

Furthermore, there is a need to hire 30 thousand Instructional Support Teams (ISTs) in the middle schools across the province whereas more than 15 thousand Student Success Teams (SSTs) for higher secondary schools.

According to the school administration, after the commencement of the new government in Punjab, there is a dire need to fill the vacant posts of teachers.

'As well as, 30 thousand more teachers will retire by 2027', school administration.

Further, the school education department stated, that if new teachers are not hired there will be a possibility that the education system will be badly affected in the next three years.

Reporter: Junaid Riaz