Teachers unhappy over enrollment responsibility

Government schoolteachers on Thursday expressed concern over a recent directive of the Punjab School Education Department (SED) that has made it mandatory for each teacher to be responsible for the enrollment of at least one out-of-school child.

The education department’s directives came after public schools in the 36 districts of Punjab failed woefully short of their enrollment targets.

The education ministry also issued a circular urging teachers to launch the process of admitting new students in government primary, middle, high, and higher secondary schools.

As part of the campaign till October 31, it was made mandatory for teachers to ensure the enrollment of at least one street child. "Each teacher is required to enrol a student in their respective schools,” said the circular.

Failure to comply with this requirement will result in strict departmental action against non-compliant teachers, it added without stating the nature or extent of the departmental action.

Basharat Iqbal Raja, who represents a teachers’ collective, told The Express Tribune that teachers willingly facilitate admissions every year. “However, the government needs to revisit its decision to make it mandatory for teachers,” he added.

Muhammad Shafiq, another teacher, pointed out that female teachers might face difficulties in going around the streets to enrol girls. He said that involving female teachers in such campaigns could affect their performance while urging the government to review the decision.

Meanwhile, the caretaker education minister in Punjab, Mansoor Qadir unveiled a campaign of distributing free notebooks and textbooks to students. He also urged teachers to target children working at workshops, hotels, brick kilns, and shops in government schools.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 25^th, 2023.