Addressing complaints regarding hiring teachers through NTS: Sindh Education Department constitutes Committee

The Education and Literacy Department Sindh has formed a four-member enquiry committee to review grievances and issues related to the recruitment of teachers through the National Testing Service (NTS). The committee, headed by Alia Shahid, Special Secretary Schools, comprised Zakir Shah, Additional Secretary Schools; Saba Mahmood, Chief Program Manager, Reform Support Unit (RSU) and Fahim Ahmed Chachar, Section Officer.
According to an official, the purpose of the Committee is to address grievances in a fair and transparent manner and, to develop a mechanism for the systematic way of redressing of complaints. In the first review session, to be held on Monday February 23, he said, the Committee will enquire into 10 complaints received through various sources. He said Sindh Education Department was keen to recruit teachers on merit so that the quality of teaching in schools across the province may be improved. "The process is fair and transparent," he added.
He maintained that the complaints and grievances were being assessed in a fair and transparent manner. The National Testing Service is a firm hired through competitive bidding in November 2012 to conduct written tests of candidates applying for the positions of Primary School Teacher (PST), Junior School Teacher (JST) and High School Teacher (HST). Tests were conducted in December 2012 (HST) and January 2013 (JST and PST). After the tests the results were shared by the NTS with the Education Department's Reform Support Unit (RSU), which is supported by the World Bank.
The results were also posted on the NTS website. The documents of candidates who qualified were verified by District Recruitment Committees (DRCs) in each district. These recommendations were approved by the World Bank, which issued no objection letters before offer orders were issued to the successful candidates.