Paktia to hire above 900 teachers next academic year

GARDEZ (Pajhwok): More than 900 teachers will be recruited during the upcoming academic year to resolve their shortage in southeastern Paktia province, an official said Sunday.

Paktia education department head Kochai Zazai told Pajhwok Afghan News another 300 teachers who had retired or died would be replaced in the province.

He said teachers who were professional in relevant subjects and had graduated from the teacher training college would be newly hired. Zazai said recruiting new teachers would help students learn quality lessons.

In addition 200 empty teacher posts for women and men would be filled by the Ministry of Education in future, the official added.

He said girls who graduated this educational year from several districts would be hired as teachers in the provincial capital and districts through a transparent exam, if they showed interest.

Meanwhile, provincial council members also welcomed hiring of new teachers as an important step and urged the MoE to pay more attention to schools’ related issues.

Ayub Gharwal, PC deputy head, told Pajhwok that teachers in Paktia continued to face numerous problems which should be addressed first.

He said besides lack of teachers, there were many other issues hindering the education process like of lack of textbooks, teaching equipment, school buildings, surrounding walls, libraries, laboratories, professional teachers, female teachers and others.

Abdullah Hamdard, a civil society activist, told Pajhwok that the provincial education department and related institutions should to pay more attention to schools in districts rather the provincial capital.

He expressed concern over what he called the bad situation of education in the province and urged the authorities to start work for its improvement before the start of the new academic year.

He said, “Education enlightens the society and it is our shared responsibility to work honestly for the bright future of our children.”

Currently nearly 5, 000 teachers are teaching around 200, 000 students in 14 districts of Pakia province.