The Punjab government has announced the reinstatement of thousands of District Teacher Educators (DTEs) after an eight-year hiatus, restoring their role in teacher training across the province.
The Punjab government has made a significant announcement to reinstate thousands of District Teacher Educators (DTEs) who have been away from their roles for nearly eight years. The decision, reported by 24NewsHD TV, was made on Saturday, and the Secretary of Schools Education has issued directives for their immediate restoration.
As of now, 4,560 DTEs are working as teachers across Punjab, with 113 of them based in Lahore. These educators had been reassigned as regular teachers following the discontinuation of the DTE program in 2017. With the reinstatement, the DTEs will resume their original duties of providing training to teachers across the province, a role they had previously held before their reassignment.
In a related development, the Punjab government lifted the ban on teacher transfers in June 2024. However, teachers must possess a seniority number to apply for a transfer. Those who do not have a seniority number are unable to submit online applications for transfers.
This policy change has raised concerns, particularly among female teachers, who have expressed dissatisfaction with the requirement to visit offices in person to obtain their seniority numbers. They have called for the removal of this condition. Additionally, teachers must serve a minimum of three years at their current school to be eligible for a transfer. Teachers with less than three years of tenure will not be eligible to apply for a transfer under the new policy.
