The government of Sindh approved the Teachers’ license policy for Teachers in the province. The policy was proposed by the School Education and Literacy Department of the Government of Sindh. Speaking during the cabinet meeting, Provincial Minister for Education Sardar Ali Shah said that the purpose of the teaching license policy is to bring professional skills to teachers.
"The countries that have introduced the teaching license system have advanced in education," the minister said, adding that Pakistan ranks 63 among 64 countries in the international mathematics and science studies trends.
Three different types of teaching licenses will be offered for primary, elementary, and secondary-level teachers. The license will be issued to the newly hired teachers after they successfully pass the licensing test. The license will be valid for five years and will be renewed. The test policy will be applicable to the recently announced 700 vacancies and the teachers will be recruited on grade BS-16.
The teaching license sets a minimum standard for new entrants, which will raise the status of the teaching profession in public perception. This has been seen in several other professions, both in Pakistan and globally. In the short-term, improved public perception provides the justification for raising teachers' salaries. Long term, it helps attract talented youth to the profession.
This landmark reform aims to bring the same rigor and respect to the teaching profession as enjoyed by other skill-based professions, including medicine, accounting, law, and engineering. New entrants to the field of teaching will be both required and incentivized to get professional training before seeking jobs.
Sharing his views, Provincial Minister of Sindh for Education, Culture, Tourism and Antiquities, Syed Sardar Ali Shah, said, “Conceptualising and bringing the teaching license policy to life has not been easy. However, I am grateful to Aga Khan University's Institute for Educational Development (AKU-IED), Sindh Teachers Education Development Authority (STEDA), Durbeen, and all other partners who have worked tirelessly to make this policy a possibility. The success of the next generation of teachers and students ultimately depends on its smooth implementation."
The Sindh Government has already taken the first step toward rolling out the new policy. 700 new vacancies have been created for Elementary School Teachers (eligible to teach grades 1-8) across Sindh at BPS-16. Previously, Junior Elementary School Teachers (JEST) were being inducted at BPS-14 and were required to have completed graduation in any field. These new 700 vacancies will only be offered to graduates of the B.Ed. degree program who have also cleared the licensing exam.
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