Teachers call for removing STR from e-transfers

LAHORE:As the School Education Department (SED) Punjab opened e-transfer facility for schoolteachers across the province on Wednesday, a large number of teachers took to social media to express their concerns over the STR policy demanding removal of the same.

The teachers observed that because of policy related to Student Teacher Ratio (STR) they were unable to avail the facility of transfer despite serving at a particular school for over three years.

They have been demanding the government abolish this condition so that they could really avail the facility. On Wednesday, the hashtag #EtransferswithoutSTR also remained a trend for quite some time on social media showing the concern of schoolteachers over the transfer policy.

However, earlier Punjab School Education Minister Dr Murad Raas while reacting to teachers’ concern over the STR policy had maintained that he was shocked to learn that teachers were asking to remove STR from e-transfers. “So we should not transfer teachers to schools where they are needed. And allow teachers to go to any school of their choice even if they are not needed there. Does this make any sense?” he questioned the teachers.

Among many replies to the minister, one wrote: “….the revocation of STR condition does not mean that teachers can apply in any school. It will be only allowed to apply in schools with vacant seats. So, please revoke STR. Thousands of teachers are bearing the brunt of this sick policy.”

It is pertinent to mention that the schoolteachers can submit transfer application on the SED Punjab’s SIS App until June 16, 2020. Promotion of students notified: School Education Department (SED) Punjab on Wednesday issued notification vis-a-vis promotion of students from 1st class up to 8th class to next classes. According to the notification, all students of public and private schools of Punjab have been promoted to next classes without annual examinations in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic.