5,000 permanently absent teachers to be sacked if they fail to report back: education minister

The provincial education minister, Syed Sardar Ali Shah, on Friday ordered taking action against permanently absent teachers (around 5,000) and dismissing them if they fail to report back.

Officials said an annual review meeting, chaired by Sindh Minister for Education and Mines & Minerals development Syed Sardar Ali Shah, resulted in important decisions, including extending the teacher recruitment process until June 30, addressing salary and database issues for newly recruited teachers, dismissing permanently absent teachers, and ensuring the return of 50% of books to government school book banks at the end of the academic year.

The meeting was held in the Sindh Assembly Auditorium, was attended by Sindh Secretary for School Education and Literacy department Zahid Ali Abbasi, and divisional and district education officers.

Officials informed the provincial minister that 78,441 candidates who passed the IBA test have been issued offer letters, including 55,566 for Primary School Teachers (PST) and 22,875 for Junior Elementary School Teachers (JEST). So far, appointment orders have been issued to 75,646 candidates, of whom 73,994 have joined their posts. However, 10,366 teachers opted for other jobs, including those who joined JEST positions after initially securing PST posts or those who passed the Sindh Public Service Commission exams.

At present, 63,628 teachers are actively employed, while many candidates are still on the waiting list in various districts. Given this situation, the minister, after consulting officials, approved extending the recruitment phase until June 30, 2025. He stated that the recruitment process was delayed due to the caretaker government, flood-related challenges, and other issues, while schools are facing a shortage of teachers, necessitating an extension of the hiring deadline.

The minister also ordered prompt completion of the database for newly hired teachers, addressing complaints about salary delays. He warned that action would be taken against officials responsible for delays in database updates. Furthermore, around 5,000 teachers who have been permanently absent will be given a final 15-day notice to return to work. If they fail to do so, they will be dismissed from their jobs, as there is no room for non-serious teachers in the department, he added.

During the meeting, the minister reviewed the availability of textbooks in schools with the chairman of the Sindh Textbook Board. He highlighted the book bank initiative, aimed at preserving textbooks for reuse. To ensure this, schools must return 50% of textbooks by the end of the academic year, with headmasters responsible for implementing the policy.