Teacher, fund shortage hampers education

An overwhelming shortage of teachers, budgets constraints and the exclusion of arts subjects are hampering educational opportunities, particularly for children with diverse learning needs, in South Punjab.

According to official sources, longstanding issues of resource scarcity and limited infrastructure have left schools struggling to meet even basic educational needs. Compared to the rest of Punjab, the region has faced challenges across various sectors.

The sources said about 26.7 million children are out of school across Pakistan, including a remarkable proportion from South Punjab. Even among those enrolled, many students confront multiple obstacles due to inadequate facilities and teacher shortages, especially at the primary and middle levels.

"Schools in the region often operate with minimal teaching staff, forcing them to juggle large classrooms and several grades. This not only affects their ability to teach effectively but also undermines students' learning experiences and outcomes. The lack of teachers means children in these schools are frequently neglected academically," explained an education department official. "This situation is particularly severe in the arts, as schools are compelled to prioritise core subjects where staffing exists, leading to a neglect of arts education. In the past few years, many high schools across South Punjab have eliminated arts subjects from their curriculum due to a shortage of teachers."

The sources said that the last time teachers were recruited was in 2018.

The shortage has caused hardship for students who struggle with science subjects and would otherwise thrive in the humanities.

"These cuts in arts education leave many students disenchanted with schooling," stated a teacher on condition of anonymity. "Some students who would excel in art subjects are left with fewer academic choices which lead to increased dropout rates."

The exclusion of arts subjects risks producing a generation of students deprived of well-rounded education. Arts education is recognised globally as essential to cultivating a critical, adaptive and creative workforce. By limiting students' access to it, South Punjab is depriving many of the chance to discover their strengths beyond conventional academics.

Aside from classroom responsibilities, teachers in South Punjab are regularly tasked with non-academic duties, such as dengue prevention campaigns, and data collection assignments. This added workload places further strain on the already limited teaching staff. According to local administrators, these extra responsibilities affect teachers' performance in the classroom, thus it compounds the region's educational crisis.

The dual roles expected of teachers not only disrupt academic activities but also demoralise educators who are committed to their students' growth.

The school education department is working to shift schools onto solar power, a solution that could significantly reduce electricity costs and ease the financial strain on budgets, maintained a senior official from the department.