TNA boycott

The recent decision by Punjab teachers to boycott the Training Need Assessment (TNA) test is a troubling development that raises serious questions about the quality and skills of the teachers and the provincial government's ability and commitment to improving the state of education in its domain. The TNA test was designed to identify key areas where teachers might benefit from additional training. This kind of assessment is crucial in an era where educational standards must rise to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving global landscape. Unfortunately, only 80 of the roughly 43,000 teachers in the province were willing to take the test.

By boycotting the assessment, teachers not only missed a valuable opportunity for introspection and professional growth, they also illustrated the resistance to accountability that is creating a barrier to improving the quality of education. Unfortunately, resistance to accountability is a national pastime. Critics of the TNA say the government offered insufficient preparation time, and many teachers would face technical challenges - the test was app-based and in English. While these complaints have some validity, they could easily have been addressed with a bit of training and prep time. The government insists that the teachers' biggest concern - that failing teachers would be fired - is inaccurate as the test is only intended to determine what areas, if any, each teacher requires additional training in. Either way, a boycott makes it clear that the teachers value job security for unqualified and incompetent professionals over the provision of quality education for students in the province.

The teachers' concerns over 'privatisation' of the management of some schools is also misplaced, as every single Pakistani knows that except for a handful of standouts, government schools usually lag far behind private schools, and lack of professionalism and skills among teachers is one of the factors behind the gap. If public education is to improve, it is crucial that teachers embrace changes rather than resist them.