Promotion of college teachers delayed

Lecturers nearing retirement face uncertainty

LAHORE:

Thousands of government college teachers in Punjab are facing a delay in promotion because the process has been stopped amid political uncertainty in the province.

According to sources in the higher education department, around 2,500 posts have to be filled through the public service commission and 1,500 through departmental promotion.

A large number of the college teachers affected by the delay in promotion are nearing the age of retirement.

The sources said around 4,000 college teachers were expecting promotion this year but the work on their cases was stopped due to political uncertainty and during recent months, especially under the caretaker provincial government.

College teachers serving in almost all grades, including lecturers, assistant and associate professors are awaiting promotion and a number of them have sought information about their status from provincial higher education department.

“The process of promotion of around 1,300 lecturers, 2,400 assistant professors and 220 associate professors has been delayed.

They include 900 women lecturers and 900 female assistant professor,” a senior official of the Punjab Higher Education Department told The Express Tribune. Punjab Professors and College Teachers Association president Prof Tariq Kaleem said the promotion of around 1,500 teachers serving in the colleges was due, while 2,500 posts were vacant, which could be filled through the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC).

He said promotion was a right of the teachers, but the process in this regard might had been delayed because of an interim set-up in the province.

A female college teacher said the sector was already suffering due to shortage of teachers and the academic activities were being carried out by recruiting staff on an ad-hoc basis.

She said thousands of teachers were being affected by the delay in promotions and the department had been silent over the matter. She complained that the teachers’ unions had not raised the matter forcefully.

“Teachers are retiring every month without promotion and those nearing superannuation are also facing uncertainty, which could have an impact on their performance,” she added.

On the other hand, an official of the Punjab Higher Education Department said the process for the promotions was likely to resume next month. He said in reply to a question that the record of the teachers would soon be collected from all divisions for the purpose.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 1^st, 2023.