LAHORE: As many as 21 higher secondary schools of the provincial metropolis have been functioning without regular principals, creating administrative and academic issues in these institutions.

The higher secondary schools are supposed to be headed by regular BS-20 principals.

Similarly, 80 per cent of such schools are also without subject specialists.

Though the academic and administrative affairs of these schools were not being properly run, the District Education Authority (DEA) seems least bothered to fill these vacancies.

As per official sources, the posts of principals were lying vacant in the government higher secondary schools at Manga Mandi, Chuhng, Jallo Mor, Atoki Awan, Pilot Wahadat Road, Shahdara and Dharampura, while there was a shortage of specialist teachers of different subjects, including computer science, sociology, education, Urdu, economics, civics, home economics, physics, chemistry, and physical education.

80pc of institutions lack subject specialists

The Punjab Association of Subject Specialists (PASS) president Rana Ata Muhammad said the education of the students at these higher secondary schools was being adversely affected because of the vacant slots.

He demanded the government should save these schools from closure and recruit new teachers to meet the shortage of faculty, besides providing funds for their betterment.

COLLEGES: The Punjab Higher Education Department (PHED) on Wednesday invited applications for appointment of principals in 203 public colleges of the province.

The HED had developed an online portal for submission of applications for these slots. As per the police only associate professors and professors could apply for the posts of principals.

The candidates can apply in the three categories, selecting the colleges of their choice. Only the teachers registered on the web portal could apply for the posts, as per the policy.

The department has also uploaded the detail of the vacant posts on the web portal in the colleges for the males and females in the province.

Published in Dawn, May 13th, 2021