A new teaching license policy that aims to draw talented young people into the teaching field and elevate the status of the profession has been approved by the Sindh Cabinet.
A new teaching license policy that aims to draw talented young people into the teaching field and elevate the status of the profession has been approved by the Sindh Cabinet.
This historic change aims to give teaching the same rigour and respect as other skill-based professions like medicine, accounting, law, and engineering. It will be both necessary and encouraged for new teachers to complete professional training before applying for jobs.
The provincial minister of Sindh for education, culture, tourism, and antiquities, expressed his opinions, saying, “It has not been simple to conceptualize and implement the teaching licence policy. However, I want to express my gratitude to Durbeen, the Sindh Teachers Education Development Authority (STEDA), the Aga Khan University’s Institute for Educational Development (AKU-IED), and all other collaborators who worked tirelessly to make this policy a reality. In the end, how well it is implemented will determine how successful the upcoming generation of educators and learners is.
He continued, “The only province that has approved a policy on teaching licenses is Sindh, and it represents a proactive effort to recognize the value and significance of effective teaching.
With the teaching license policy in place, the Sindh Government has established the framework for a stronger and more qualified teaching workforce, which will have a favorable and long-lasting impact on the province’s educational landscape.
The Sindh Government has 700 new openings for elementary school teachers at BPS-16 who are qualified to teach grades 1 through 8. In the past, BPS-14 inducted Junior Elementary School Teachers (JEST), who had to be graduates in any field. Only B.E. degree holders who have passed the licencing exam will be considered for these 700 openings.
According to research, more effective teachers can impart three times as much knowledge in a single academic year as less effective ones. This provides compelling evidence that education reform should prioritise improving teacher support and quality, such as through teacher licensure. A mediocre curriculum can become a rich learning experience thanks to this.
The teaching licence establishes a minimum standard for newcomers, elevating the profession of teaching in the eyes of the general public. This has occurred in a number of other professions both in Pakistan and around the world. Short-term salary increases for teachers are justifiable due to improved public perception. Long term, it encourages young people with talent to enter the field.
Prior to the creation of the policy, AKU-IED oversaw a year of research and consultation that resulted in a White Paper that was jointly released by AKU-IED, STEDA, and Durbeen in June 2022.
A wide range of stakeholders, including Pakistani universities, school administration, teachers, teachers’ unions, parents, and students, participated in consultations.
Scholars from Ziauddin University contributed to the policy writing efforts. Under the new policy, Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) graduates can now apply to take a licensing exam, which will assess both content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge. Upon passing the exam, they will be awarded teaching licenses in one of the three categories – elementary (Grades 1-8), primary (Grades 1-5) and secondary (Grades 6-12).
The Sindh Government proposed and the Pakistani academic community, teachers, unions, and other stakeholders developed this country’s teacher licencing policy. Existing full-time government schoolteachers have the option of maintaining their current status quo in the workplace or applying to take the licencing exam and advance in their promotions.
If they meet the requirements, contract teachers working in government schools can speed up the licencing process and become regular employees. Given that the majority of reforms have been initiated by and funded by donor organisations, this one occupies a unique place in Pakistani educational history.