Educators face salary cuts
The online Teachers Need Assessment (TNA) test system for evaluating Education Department staff has failed to operate effectively. On October 28, primary teachers did not participate in the online test, leading the Education Department to issue show-cause notices to 1,000 teachers in the Rawalpindi division, withholding their November salaries and requesting police help from deputy commissioners.
On the other hand, teachers have refused to receive the show-cause notices saying they would not attend personal hearings.
In a surprising error, a show-cause notice was issued to the late Majid Ali, a teacher who passed away two years ago. His family expressed confusion, questioning why the department issued a notice to a deceased person. This incident left Education Department officials in disarray.
The Grand Teachers Alliance fully rejected the TNA test and initiated a complete boycott. After failed attempts to administer the test in exam centres, the Education Department permitted teachers to take the online test from home. Primary teachers were scheduled for October 28-29, middle school teachers for October 30-31, and high school teachers, including headmasters and headmistresses, on November 1-2. Officials warned that teachers failing to comply would face salary cuts, show-cause notices, and potential legal action.
On October 28, the first day for primary teachers, only 3% participated in the online test despite efforts by education officers to encourage participation via calls and messages.
Leaders of the Grand Teachers Alliance, including Rana Liaquat, Kashif Shehzad Chaudhary, Shafiq Bhalwalia, Abdul Rauf Kayani, Malik Amjad, and Basharat Iqbal Raja, announced a complete boycott of the test and demanded the cancellation of notices and suspensions. The Alliance threatened to lock schools and strike from November 1, immediately halting participation in both dengue duties and the anti-polio campaign.
Despite efforts from district administration and education officers, the online testing process remains ineffective. With the ongoing teacher strike across Punjab, including the Rawalpindi division, the teaching system is stalled, and first-semester exams have yet to be conducted.
The test, designed to assess the competence and training needs of teachers, is compulsory for educators across all levels, including primary, middle and high school.
Critics say introducing an assessment mechanism is a praiseworthy step to ensure quality education in government schools. But they were doubtful about the timing of the test as according to them, the government is hell-bent on privatising public education in the province citing financial constraints.