Panjab Promotes Unqualified Teachers as Outdated Labs Widen Digital Divide

The Panjab education department has promoted 301 teachers to English lecturers for classes 11 and 12, but only three of them have actual experience teaching English. The remaining 298 teachers were previously teaching other subjects, including science, social studies, math, and even physical education. Many of these promoted teachers earned their MA in English via distance learning, with some receiving ‘provisional’ promotions due to UGC policy changes on distance learning courses. A large number of promoted teachers also lack subject-specific degrees in their respective fields, with 92 math teachers and 48 social studies teachers being promoted as commerce lecturers despite not having studied commerce at the undergraduate level. Harpinder Singh Dhillon, president of the Association of English Teaching Aspirants, has called for proficiency tests for teachers being promoted to subjects they haven’t studied. Teachers who have invested years studying and teaching their subjects feel sidelined, as promotions often favor those with distance learning qualifications from other subjects. Also, Panjab govt. schools are struggling with deteriorating computer education infrastructure, posing a significant challenge to students’ digital learning experience. Outdated equipment, crumbling labs, and a shortage of qualified staff have left computer labs across the state in disrepair. Students are increasingly frustrated, with many pointing out the stark contrast between public and private schools, where advanced topics are already being taught. Educationist Surinderbir Singh warned that the widening digital divide could leave govt. school students lagging behind in the race toward a technologically advanced future.