FDE may revise teacher performance assessment process

Teachers decry suggested changes as blocking promotions

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) has decided to revise the teacher performance assessment process by mandating that a separate report will now be developed, apart from the Annual Confidential Report (ACR) as is the current practice, to gauge teacher performance.

This will report will now form a critical part of the decision making the process for promotion of teachers in federal educational institutions.

The new proformas will be sent to the Ministry of Education for approval from the establishment division.

According to sources in the education ministry, a decision has been taken in this regard to make an appraisal of teachers linked to their performance.

Previously, teachers were promoted based on the Annual Confidential Report (ACR).

Female seminary teacher, student found dead in 'mysterious circumstances'

But now, factors such as annual results of the class they teach and the teacher’s ability to control their respective classrooms will also feature in the appraisal process.

The sources further said that a similar set of recommendations had been sent to the Establishment Division under the Prime Minister’s Educational Reforms Programme (PMERP) started by deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif in 2014.

However, that suggestion was returned after objections were raised on it by the Establishment Division. Instead, the division had directed the education ministry to resend a proforma after making the requisite amendments.

Despite that, senior education officials have now decided to devise a separate proforma and link it with the ACR for teachers’ promotion. The management services wing has given its in-principle approval.

The amended proforma would be sent to the establishment division soon for approval.

240 teachers summoned over cheating allegations

A female teacher, who requested not to be named for fear of reprisal, said that new rules for teachers’ promotion have already been challenged in court.

She added that the proposed terms for promotion were equivalent to stopping teachers from being promoted, which was their basic right.

Repeated attempts were made to contact FDE Director was contacted in this regard but he could not be reached.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 22nd, 2019.