Delayed promotions: 3,000 vacancies at schools across Punjab

Sources say training process at QAED is proceeding at a snail’s pace

There are approximately 3,000 vacancies at schools across the province due to the fact that teachers’ promotions have been continuously delayed.

Teachers’ unions claim that Promotion Link Training (PLT) has been delayed for the past three years. Due to this reason, thousands of promotions have been postponed. Despite this, the Punjab School Education Department (SED) allows only 40 people at a time.

Sources from the department reveal that the reason for the vacancies is because the training process is proceeding at a snail’s pace. Quaid-e-Azam Academy for Educational Development (QAED), the authority responsible for conducting training sessions, has been a victim of continuous delays.

As a result, senior teachers are stuck in limbo after their promotions have been postponed indefinitely. Because of this, there are 3,000 vacancies from Grade 17-20. Teachers’ unions across the province are demanding that the matter be resolved immediately; they maintain that academic and developmental affairs at primary, middle and high schools have been disturbed due to the unavailability of senior instructors. They added that students are also suffering as a result of this delay.

“QAED was established last year after completing the directorate staff development (DSD). The purpose of the academy is to aid in the training and the advancement of instructor,” says a senior SED official while speaking to The Express Tribune on the condition of anonymity.

However, the academy has failed to fulfil its purpose which has in turn put pressure on the education department. There is a giant question mark looming over the academy. Teachers’ union have demanded it be eliminated, he adds.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 28^th, 2018.