QUETTA: The provincial education department of Balochistan on Saturday terminated more than 400 ghost teachers across the province as part of an ongoing scrutiny regarding ghost employees.

The ghost employees were drawing their salaries from the districts of Quetta, Panjgor, Killa Abdullah, Pishin, Kharan, Dera Bugti and other areas of the province.

“Inquiry committees were established across the province to detect fake and ghost teachers,” said the provincial secretary of education, Saboor Kakar.

Read: A dismal state of education in Balochistan

The provincial government has terminated 112 ghost teachers in Quetta, 57 in Killa Abdullah, 39 in Pishin, 65 in Dera Bugti and other districts of the province. Balochistan is lagging behind other provinces in terms of key social indicators.

“The number of students across the province is 1.2 million, whereas the number of teachers was 66,000,” added Kakar.

Interior areas of the province present a much dire picture in terms of student to teacher ratio.

“The teacher to student ratio in Balochistan is better when compared to Punjab where there is one teacher for every 26 students, while in Balochistan the ratio is one teacher for every 14 studnts,” stated Kakar.

However, he stated that the presence and capacity of teachers in provincial schools leaves much to be desired.

“2000 new schools are being established with the help of global partnerships, in order to ensure provision of quality education to children,” stated Kakar.

He elaborated further that the provincial education department would also hire 3,000 teachers this year.

The Balochistan government has for the first time introduced appointments of teacher through national testing service (NTS).

Currently, more than 0.1 million candidates applied for 4,300 vacant posts of teachers in Balochistan through NTS.