K-P finalises new primary school policy

Each school to have at least six rooms, four teachers

PESHAWAR:

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Education Minister Shahram Khan Tarakai has said that his ministry had finalised a new policy under which each primary school will have at least six rooms and a minimum four teachers across the province.

In the past there was a policy of a minimum two classrooms and two teachers in each primary school but later the policy was changed and rationalization was introduced under which for 40 students one teacher was declared a must.

However, many schools are still working with two teachers and two rooms.

The minister said that the vacancies in education department, created because of retirement, long leave or other reasons, would be temporarily filled through Parent Teachers Council (PTC) from now onward.

Presiding over a meeting of education department, he said the purpose of the step is to ensure availability of teacher in each class, adding that all arrangements are ready under the new education policy.

The minister directed the education department that the posting of all the new teachers who are being recruited will take place only after their entry in EMIS is completed and no employee will be posted without EMIS entry.

He said that from now on all the new primary schools would have six rooms each and at least four teachers as a policy matter.

The meeting was attended by Secretary Education Motasim Billah Shah, Additional Secretary General Abdul Karam, deputy secretary budget and other officials of the education department who briefed the minister and said that the recruitment process for the vacant posts in the newly merged tribal districts has almost been completed.

Minister Shahram Tarakai directed the education department to complete all the arrangements for the setting up of 142 science labs, 100 examination halls and plans for construction of ALP centers in the merged districts and award of scholarships and prizes to the best performing teachers and students, so that these projects could be submitted in the financial budget for approval.

He said education is a top priority and in the last nine years there has been a significant increase in the education budget which is having a positive impact on the quality of education in the province.

Summer vacations

The provincial government has announced summer vacations in education institutes from June 1 to August 14 in the non-mountainous districts. Similarly, in the mountainous districts the duration of vacations will be one month from July 1 to July 31.

The decision has been announced at a time when extreme heat wave has hit most parts of the country, affecting daily life routine in all districts.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, May 21^st, 2022.