In a surprising move, Punjab has promoted over 200 teachers from the master cadre – those who teach grades 6 to 10 – to become English lecturers for classes 11 and 12. However, only three of these newly promoted lecturers have a background in English, according to reports. The remaining 298 teachers come from a diverse range of subject areas, including math, science, social studies, Punjabi, and Hindi.
The Punjab education department has promoted a total of 300 teachers as English lecturers. This includes 127 science teachers, 102 social studies teachers, 41 math teachers, 4 agriculture teachers, and even a physical education teacher. Interestingly, 23 teachers who received promotions had expertise in other languages, including Punjabi and Hindi.
Officials have defended the promotions, stating that they were conducted according to established rules. All the teachers promoted hold a postgraduate degree (MA) in English from a recognized university, fulfilling the requirements set by the University Grants Commission. However, many of these teachers obtained their MA degrees through distance learning programs.
The move comes amidst a severe shortage of English teachers in Punjab. Due to a lack of a dedicated English lecturer cadre until 2007, many schools have been forced to rely on teachers from other disciplines to teach English. This raises serious concerns about the quality of English instruction being provided to students in Punjab’s government schools.
The promotion of teachers without a strong background in English has sparked criticism and questions about the rationale behind the decision. It highlights the urgent need for the state to address the shortage of qualified English teachers to ensure a high standard of education for all students.
