Editorial:
It has been almost seven months since the tests and interviews for the recruitment of teachers have been completed in Balochistan. Nearly, 100,000 male and female candidates participated in the process to get the opportunity to serve in government-run primary, middle and high schools of the province.
Despite the passing of around seven months, the teachers are yet to be appointed on almost more than 10,000 vacancies lying vacant for years in Balochistan. Chief Minister Balochistan, Jam Kamal Khan’s government deserves to be appreciated for announcing thousands of posts of teachers last year. Though, fingers were raised on the criteria for appointments, especially, the required passing marks. According to the recruitment policy, the candidates were required to get 50 percent marks to be in the merit list. Moreover, most of the candidates failed to obtain the required percentage.
Merit lists were announced by a testing service called CTSP from all 33 districts of Balochistan. Initially, questions were raised over the transparency in tests and interviews. However, no concrete evidence was shown with regard to the alleged irregularities and corruption in the appointment process.
Now the Balochistan secondary education department has formed committees to address the complaints and grievances of the candidates. The department has formed seven complaint redressal committees (CRCs) headed by divisional commissioners to hear complaints regarding the merit list compiled by CTSP, a testing service with regard to the appointment of teachers.
“To ensure transparency and for immediate redressal of complaints, CRCs have been formed”, a well-placed officer in the Balochistan education department told the daily Quetta Voice on Sunday.
Despite the passing of seven months, the teachers are yet to be appointed on thousands of vacant posts lying vacant for years. “We fulfilled all criteria, came on merit but still waiting for appointment”, Najeebullah, a candidate who passed the Junior English Teacher test conducted last year told the daily Quetta Voice.
Indeed, education is a one-window operation, which offers a solution to all ills of society. Transparency and merit must be ensured in the appointment process. The merit lists compiled by the district recruitment committees must be scrutinized by CRCs. However, the process of appointment should be started immediately so that the newly appointed teachers could start teaching in schools of Balochistan.
Lack of teachers in Balochistan’s schools is one of the major speed-breakers in the way of improvement of literacy rate. In the past, teachers had been appointed on a political basis, thus ruining the education department.
Former chief minister, Dr. Malik Baloch and his adviser Sardar Raza Bareech, the then Secretary education Saboor Kakar must be appreciated for recruitment of 5000 teachers through National Testing Service in 2015.
To be precise, the CTSP merit lists should be scrutinized through CRCs immediately. However, there have to be no delaying tactics in the appointment of teachers.
