ICT needs 2,000 more teachers

Shortage impacting quality of instruction, causing lower enrollment

ISLAMABAD:

Shortage of subject specialists at educational institutions in the federal capital is hampering academic activities as the existing faculty have been over-burdened, adversely affecting student's academic performances.

Teachers at educational institutions run by Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) in Islamabad say they are already overstretched and are finding it difficult to concentrate because their regular classes have been divided into additional sections as part of precautionary measures against the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) and the added burden of covering for teachers is becoming more than they can handle.

An official source in the education system of the federal capital said that as many as 14 posts for teachers are lying vacant at the Islamabad Model Postgraduate College in Sector H-8, which offers classes at the Bachelors of Studies (BS) level. The college currently has just eight teachers, one teacher for each subject, to teach first and second-year students as well as classes for the Associate Degree Programmes.

Abdul Latif is a history lecturer who is reportedly teaching out-of-field subjects at the Higher Secondary School for Boys in Nilore while a history teacher is needed at the Sector H-8 college. Similarly, Hafiz Saleem, an Arabic language lecturer teaching an out-of-field subject in the same school. The chemistry department at the college is also facing a shortage after two teachers retired a few months ago.

At the Islamabad Model College for Girls (IMCG) in Bhara Kahu, officials said that there are only five regular teachers, one each to teach Biology, Computer Science, Chemistry, Education, and Statistics.

Even though the college enrols fewer students, down to 850 from 1,100 in the last academic year, it has had to hire teachers on daily wages using the students' fund to cope.

Colleges have had to stop offering classes in many subjects because they do not have the requisite faculty. This is evident at the IMCG Humak where sociology is not being offered due to the lack of teachers.

At IMCB Sihala, there is no dedicated teacher for Pakistan Studies, which is a compulsory subject both at intermediate and degree levels.

Officials said that the college has requested the FDE to create new posts for teachers and staff to bridge the shortages but are still awaiting a positive reply from the authorities.

"Observance of safety measures and bridging a shortage of teachers has made our job even more difficult as we are facing problems in carrying out our academic activities, but have no choice,” a teacher said while requesting to remain anonymous for fear of retribution.

“It is extremely difficult to ensure quality education with a few regular teachers."

Another teacher said that the shortage is forcing colleges to hire unqualified daily-wagers, which impact results while forcing the college to refuse admissions to many.

Apart from filling vacant posts, the teacher was of the view that there is a need for new posts for teachers due to the rising population and demand for admissions.

"Major causes for this predicament is the absence of timely promotion of teachers to higher grades and creation of new posts," said a representative of Federal Government College Teachers Association (FGCTA).

The official urged the authorities to speed up promotions so that posts at the lower level can become vacant and start recruitment of teachers, adding that the situation is particularly bad for smaller colleges where existing teachers are overburdened.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 3^rd, 2020.