Punjab abolishes thousands of vacant education posts

LAHORE: Punjab's Education Department has started scrapping vacant posts for grades 1 to 16 across the school system, citing a deep financial crunch, with 3,352 positions removed in the first phase.

The decision covers both teaching and non-teaching jobs, including posts in primary, middle and high schools. Among the categories affected are teachers, Qari teachers, clerical staff, lab in-charges, IT lab in-charges and other support employees.

Under the new arrangement, Chief Executive Officers of District Education Authorities have been given the power to abolish unfilled posts. Education authorities in all 41 districts have been told to identify such vacancies and complete the process during the current week before sending their reports. The exercise has already begun.

Officials said no money would be set aside in the next fiscal budget for these positions. It has also been decided that posts falling vacant because of retirement will not be filled through fresh hiring.