The education ministry will recruit 316 general graduates as national contract teachers for 19 dzongkhags including thromdes by October this year.

The recruitment would fill in the gaps that were created by teachers who are on extraordinary leave (EOL), study leave as well as those who superannuated and voluntarily resigned. About two percent of teachers availed study leave and EOL annually, according to the teacher recruitment exercise 2016.

A total of 316 teachers have left the teaching profession between January and July this year. In absence of teachers in the classrooms and its implications on the quality of education and based on the education ministry’s proposal, the Royal Civil Service Commission (RCSC) during its 106th commission meeting, accorded special consideration for recruitment of national contract teachers on consolidated contract.

The ministry’s Chief Human Resources Officer, Kinley Gyeltshen, said, the ministry will recruit the contract teachers but the dzongkhag administration would deploy them to schools that are facing shortages.

“We’re expecting more than 600 applications and would take some time to complete the recruitment process,” he said. “The recruitment was necessary since more number of teachers went on study leave and EOL compared to the past.”

The teacher shortages are in Dzongkha, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, IT, English, Economics, General, Biology, Geography, History, Counselling, History, and Accounts. The highest attrition is in Thimphu thromde schools and the least in Zhemgang.

The teachers would be recruited for about a year and three months with their contract ending in December 2018. “But these teachers would be given preferences if similar vacancies occur since many teachers go on EOL or study leave every year,” Kinley Gyeltshen said.

The contract teachers would receive a salary of Nu 20,760, which is inclusive of house rent, and professional allowance excluding LTC. They would also receive difficulty and altitude allowances depending on the location.

Kinley Gyeltshen said the candidate would be placed to dzongkhags or thromdes based on merit ranking after selection.  “We ensure to maintain 10 percent contract teachers and 90 percent regular teachers.”

Although this time the ministry would be recruiting the teachers, henceforth, if any teachers leave for EOL or study leave, the dzongkhag or thromde administration would be given the authority to recruit teachers on contract.

Last year, there were 7,538 teachers excluding 122 teachers who were on study leave, 93 on EOL, 26 who superannuated, and about 151 who had voluntarily resigned.

Excluding principals, vice-principals, those on EOL, study leave and maternity leave, there are about 7,656 teachers in 479 schools  and 90 extended classrooms for 152,116 students across the country.

Thimphu thromde has 770 teachers.

This article first appeared on Kuensel by Yangchen C Rinzin