The education department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has exposed a shocking truth – thousands of teaching positions lie vacant in schools across the province, leaving more than 17,000 students without dedicated educators.
According to a report by the Education Monitoring Authority, there is a scarcity of 17,317 teachers in the province, with the primary school sector being the hardest hit, accounting for 3,853 vacancies.
The report further highlights that out of 3,148 head teacher positions in primary schools, a staggering 2,057 remain unoccupied for an extended period. Additionally, 1,898 senior subject teachers and 771 school principals’ positions remain unfilled.
The report emphasizes the urgent need for 9,749 teachers in boys’ schools and 7,568 in girls’ schools to meet the educational requirements of students.
As a consequence of the teacher shortage, several schools are overcrowded, forcing extra students into already packed classrooms.
Education Secretary, Moatasim Billah, expressed his concerns and stated that efforts are underway to fill the vacancies using the provincial government’s funding. However, with over 1,300 teachers retiring annually, the struggle to bridge the gap persists.