Hundreds of teachers sacked from Pakistan 'ghost schools'

[Anees]

It is estimated that over 6.7 million children are out of school, and majority of them (62%) are girls.


QUETTA: Pakistan authorities have halted funding to hundreds of "ghost schools" and fired 450 absentee teachers, with officials vowing on Tuesday to launch a crackdown on the practice in the southwestern province of Baluchistan.

"We have detected and stopped funds to some 650 ghost schools and sacked 450 teachers who never taught at any school but were drawing salaries," Abdul Saboor Kakar, the provincial education secretary told AFP.

He said most of the schools only existed on paper, while others had been abandoned as there were no teachers or students attending them.

Raza Mohammad Braich, the provincial minister of education, confirmed the details and said authorities had detected several hundred more schools and teachers that would come under the clampdown.

"Education is our top priority and we are purging all ghost schools and cracking down on absentee teachers, most of them were recruited on political grounds in the past," Braich told AFP.

Braich said that Baluchistan has some 12,500 government schools and officials were making efforts to improve them.

Education rates in Pakistan are still dismally low, although steady progress has been noticed during the last few decades, an education ministry report said this year.


At present, about one third of primary school age children are out of school, while 42% of the population aged 10 and above is illiterate.




At the national level, about two thirds of women aged 15 and over cannot read and write, and 35 percent of girls remain out of school, according to the Education for All 2015 National Review report.

Hundreds of teachers sacked from Pakistan 'ghost schools' - Times of India

 

[Vapnope]

A really good move. People who play with the future of Pakistan should be dealt with iron hands. An exemplary punishment shall be awarded to such people.

 

[Dubious]

Good move but what took them so long?

several hundred more schools and teachers that would come under the clampdown.

wth?! Who was in charge of checking these before issuing a paycheck? baap ka paisa hai jo aysay baanta jara hai?

 

[haviZsultan]

I think the problem is not only ghost teachers. A lot of teachers are not coming because they are not being paid by those responsible for the schools. The teachers are not the only ones at fault here and because they are poorer and more voiceless than the government representatives responsible for those public schools they will be the first victims. A proper study should first be conducted about how many teachers are not even being paid for their work. Many teachers still come even if they are not being paid.

 

[Dubious]

I think the problem is not only ghost teachers. A lot of teachers are not coming because they are not being paid by those responsible for the schools. The teachers are not the only ones at fault here and because they are poorer and more voiceless than the government representatives responsible for those public schools they will be the first victims. A proper study should first be conducted about how many teachers are not even being paid for their work. Many teachers still come even if they are not being paid.

and how can one explain this bit:

450 teachers who never taught at any school but were drawing salaries

most of the schools only existed on paper,

abandoned

absentee teachers, most of them were recruited on political grounds

 

[haviZsultan]

and how can one explain this bit:

I am not saying that there are some teachers drawing salaries and not teaching. But that is not the only case. if you work with ilm o amal of TCF you will notice that such cases-where schools exist only on paper and are told by the government representatives there are schools and draw the funds for the school but do not spend it on the school. Another case is the government does not pay the school staff. So there isn't just the problem of ghost teachers, there are ghost schools, schools present and not operating. Money not being given to teachers and many other causes.

 

[Dubious]

I am not saying that there are some teachers drawing salaries and not teaching. But that is not the only case. if you work with ilm o amal of TCF you will notice that such cases-where schools exist only on paper and are told by the government representatives there are schools and draw the funds for the school but do not spend it on the school. Another case is the government does not pay the school staff. So there isn't just the problem of ghost teachers, there are ghost schools, schools present and not operating. Money not being given to teachers and many other causes.

Fair enough!

 

[silent hawk]

ghost teachers of ghost schools