Proposals for the Promotion of PST Teachers to CT Posts and to SET Posts on the basis of length of Service/Seniority.

To

                        The Director (Elementary & Secondary) Education

                        Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

                        Peshawar.

Subject:         Proposals for the Promotion of PST Teachers to CT Posts and to SET Posts on the basis of length of Service/Seniority.

                        Through Proper Channel,

Respected Sir,

                        I have the honour to submit my proposals/comments on the proposed draft ‘Service Structure’ for the Teachers for their promotions to the upper posts and the way in which it was discussed before the selected teachers and in the presence of Honourable Minister for Education, Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

1)         A proper copy of the draft of the proposed ‘Service Structure’ was not given to each participant which conduct was contrary to the instructions being given in the S&GAD letter No.SORII(S&GAD)2(9)/98 Dt: 24.12.98. According to this letter the working papers/proposals for framing of service/recruitment rules need to be forwarded to the S&GAD Department and Finance Department at least seven days, before the date of the meeting. The letter is primarily meant to the meeting for Framing of Service/Recruitment Rules but the meeting with the teachers was a prelude to the meeting of the Standing Service Rules Committee, therefore it was necessary to publicise the draft for the consideration of other teachers through the EDOs of the respective Districts instead of relying on the consent of a few teachers who were virtually kept in the dark by not providing them the copies of the draft of the proposed ‘Service Structure’.

2)         The most important parameter in promoting a Civil Servant from the lower post to higher post is his Seniority. In this draft of the proposed ‘Service Structure’, the seniority has either been totally ignored or has been given little importance while much stress has been given on the qualification which has adversely affected the in-service teachers with low academic or professional qualification serving on lower post for two or three decades.

3)         No doubt qualification is essential but it has been observed in the Provincial Management Service Rules, 2007 for Promotion of Tehsildars and others to BS-17, the condition of qualification in shape of ‘condition of Graduation’ has been kept in abeyance for seven years just to afford an opportunity to the serving Tehsildars to avail the BS-17 by dint of their length of service i.e. Seniority despite being not Graduate. Rule 7, Transitional, of The Provincial Management Service Rules, 2007 says, “The condition of graduation as laid down in para 2(a) and (b) of column-5 against serial No. 1 of Schedule-1 shall not apply for a period of seven years from the date of coming into force of these rules to the existing incumbents for promotion against BS-17 posts”. It needs further clarification that what does para 2(a) and (b) of column-5 against serial No. 1 of Schedule-1 say, para 2 says, Subject to rule 7, by promotion in the following manner, (a) Twenty percent from amongst Teshildars, who are graduates on the basis of seniority-cum-fitness, having five years service as Tehsildar and have passed the prescribed Departmental Examination. (b) twenty percent from amongst Superintendents/Private Secretaries on seniority-cum-fitness basis who are graduates and have undergone a training course of 9-weeks at the Provincial Management Academy/Provincial Staff Training institute. A joint seniority list of the Superintendents and Private Secretaries shall be maintained for the purpose of promotion on the basis of their continuous regular appointment to the respective posts.”

4)         That on the analogy of this special concession being given to Tehsildars and others in the NWFP Provincial Management Service Rules, 2007, the Primary School Teachers should also be given chances for the promotion to the CT Posts and SET Posts despite being not fulfilling the requisite qualification but the qualification clause can be put in abeyance for some years for the benefit of in-service teachers as has been done by the Government in case of Tehsildars and others. In this way all the existing Government Servants relating to any Department of the Government shall be treated equally and without discrimination by giving them chances of promotion despite not fulfilling some of the requirements for the promotion to a post. The allocation of posts to various Cadres of Teachers, in percentage, may be in the following manner:--

(a)               Twenty percent by initial recruitment on the recommendation of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Public Service Commission based on the result of competitive examination to be conducted by it.

(b)               Forty percent to the Primary School Teachers in the following manner:--

(i)                 Twenty percent from amongst the Primary School Teachers, who have academic qualifications either matric or F.A. or B.A. or M.A. and have no other professional qualification except PTC. A combined seniority list on the basis of continuous regular service on the post shall be maintained for such teachers being renewed annually in the Month of January.

(ii)              Twenty percent from amongst the Primary School Teachers who are B.A. C.T. B.Ed, B.A. B.Ed. M.A. C.T. B.Ed, M.A. C.T. M.Ed. etc. A combined seniority list on the basis of continuous regular service on the post shall be maintained for such teachers being renewed annually in the Month of January.

(c)                Forty percent to the Secondary School Teachers in the following manner:--

(i)                 Eight percent from C.T.

(ii)              Eight percent from T.T.

(iii)            Eight percent from A.T.

(iv)            Eight percent from DM.

(v)               Eight percent from PET.

(vi)            Separate seniority lists for each cadre of teachers on the basis of continuous regular service on the post shall be maintained being renewed annually in the Month of January.

5)         That the above allocations, in percentages, of posts to various Cadres of Teachers have been made on the following reasons.

(a)        The Primary School Teachers have a highest number in the Province as compared to other Cadres of Teachers and that is why they have been given 40 percent quota so that service benefit may be extended to the maximum number of teachers. Even amongst the Primary School Teachers, those who have higher qualification have not been overlooked altogether but have been given fifty percent of the quota, allocated to the Primary School Teachers in order to be compensated and benefited properly and in recognition of their enhanced qualification. If one side those who have spent their lives in the department in utter despondency and in the hope of better days to come, should be benefited, on other side, the element of qualification and talent has been fully kept in view, because the policy of the Government should be to encourage the talented persons to come to the Education Department.

(b)       The CT., AT., TT., PET., & DM Cadres Teachers are already serving on posts of higher pay scales near the pay scales of SET. The highest pay scale of Primary Teacher is BS- 12 which is lower to all the above mentioned teachers despite having less difference in their qualifications.

(c)        With the passage of time, when the basic qualification for the post of Primary School Teacher is fixed B.A. B.Ed and his pay scale is enhanced, the difference in qualification, which is evident at present, would be meaningless and become redundant because then all would be high qualified teachers and would efficiently handle their posts of their service from the Primary to Secondary levels. At least 10 years are required to phase out the present set up of teachers. The new incumbents in the PST and SET would possess the same qualification.

(d)       No one can deny this fact that Education or Teacher has never been the priority No. 1 of any previous Government and therefore, no talented person with high qualification was ready to sacrifice his life or career in this thankless job but was forced by circumstances to adopt it after facing failure in other fields. The successive Governments were responsible for the present dilapidated condition both of the Teachers and Education.

(e)        It is not clear from the proposed draft ‘Service Structure’ whether to benefit the neglected teachers or wish to perpetuate the age old rule of ‘to push the time and to kill the time’. The National Education Policy of 2009 has linked ‘The quality of Education’ first with the teachers and then has enumerated other factors for quality of Education as under:--

            CHAPTER 7.

RAISING THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION

138. Defining quality is elusive but some parameters will need to be drawn. There is an impending need to debate and agree on what constitutes quality at each stage of education and the system overall. Based on this, some standards will need to be defined and pursued through development of policies, strategies and plans which target them. The recently completed NEAS 2007 points to significant quality deficits and confirms the widespread perception of the low quality of Pakistan’s education. Improving quality requires action in the areas of teacher quality, curriculum and pedagogy, textbooks, assessment approaches, and in learning environment and facilities. In developed countries, close to two thirds of children’s performance in early schooling depends on factors outside the school, namely on the home environment, the socio-economic status of parents, parent education particularly the mother’s, and the learning resources available at home38. Of the remaining one-third, teacher quality and leadership at school are believed to be the more important factors39. Most of the inputs in the system have an impact on quality. However, there are five- six basic pillars that have the major contribution. These are curriculum, textbooks, assessments, teachers, the learning environment in an institution and relevance of education to practical life/ labour market. While elementary schooling is facing many deficiencies in each of the input areas that would need to be improved; the most significant action is required in improving the teaching resources and the pedagogical approaches teachers employ. The reform of teaching quality is of the highest priority.

7.1 IMPROVING TEACHER QUALITY

139. There is a consensus amongst all stakeholders that the quality of teachers in the public sector is unsatisfactory. Poor quality of teacher in the system in large numbers is owed to the mutations in governance, an obsolete pre-service training structure and a less than adequate in service training regime. Presence of incompetence in such a huge quantity and permeation of malpractices in the profession have eroded the once exalted position enjoyed by teachers under the eastern cultural milieu. Teaching has become the employment of last resort of most educated young persons; especially males.

140. Reform is required in all areas: pre-service training and standardization of qualifications; professional development; teacher remuneration, career progression and status; and governance and management of the teaching workforce. The growth of private sector is adding new complexities to the teaching profession and needs to be taken into account in any reform of the system.

Policy Actions:

1.      A Bachelors degree, with a B.Ed., shall be the requirement for teaching at the elementary level. A Masters level for the secondary and higher secondary, with a B.Ed., shall be ensured by 2018. PTC and CT shall be phased out through encouraging the present set of teachers to improve their qualifications, while new hiring shall be based on the advanced criteria.

2.      Teacher training arrangements, accreditation and certification procedures shall be standardised and institutionalised………………….

Finally, it is requested that the ‘Service Structure’ for teachers may please be finalised to the benefits of not only the coming teachers with high qualifications but also of those who have little time to superannuation retirement but have little pay scales. They will always support the Awami National Party in the elections and will ask the others to support it after their retirement and would prove strong workers of this party. The idea is not a bad one.

 Manzoor Ahmad Yousafzai