Against reforms: Teachers oppose decision to link promotions with exams

Say the policy is a step towards privatisation of the education sector

RAWALPINDI: Teachers have opposed the Punjab government’s move to link their promotions with results of examinations.

According to the new policy, a primary teacher will be promoted to grade-17 in stages through an exam after every three years. Similarly, elementary school teachers could get promoted to grade-18 through an exam which they can take every five years. A secondary school teacher could reach grade-19 by taking the exam every 10 years.

Teachers who are already recruited in grade-17 will get a chance to climb to the next grade after every seven years.



Currently, the promotions are linked with seniority and qualification. “The government does not recruit any teacher who does not have a BEd or MEd degrees. Teachers who do not possess an education degree would not be regularised,” said a senior official of the District Education Department.

He said the policy was unclear about teachers who have 10 years or more experience.

Educationists have also warned against imposing teaching ideas and standards of developed societies without first carrying out necessary groundwork.

Many of the Punjab government’s plans to implement standards practiced in developed countries like Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and England have only ended up being implemented on paper as there was no infrastructure in place to make them work.

The education department had planned to set up district education authorities but dropped it later while an earlier decision to link promotions with training too could not be implemented.

Moreover, authorities in the recent past had reshuffled teachers between different areas under its re-allocation policy.

They had to take back the decision after teachers protested against the transfers.

Teachers say this new policy will deprive many of ‘due; promotions. “Hundreds of teachers are being issued show-cause notices for poor results,” the education department official said.

Educationists say all these steps are being taken on the advice of foreign consultants who are giving funds and grants for education. “This policy is a step towards paving the way to privatise the education sector,” said a teacher, requesting anonymity.

He said the decision was taken after studying the system of developed countries who allocated more than 10 per cent of their GDP for education, “while we allocate less than 2 per cent of GDP for it”.

Teachers also opposed appointment of civil servants in the education department.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 24^th, 2014.