Peshawar: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Elementary and Secondary Education Department has directed all district education officers to take necessary steps to fill vacant posts of school heads and teachers in government schools across the province.
In a letter issued by the Directorate of Elementary and Secondary Education, fresh reports have been sought on vacant teaching and administrative positions in all middle, high and higher secondary schools.
The district education officers have been directed to convene meetings with school heads and prepare comprehensive proposals for filling the vacant positions.
The department has also instructed that teachers should be adjusted or posted against suitable vacant positions instead of being kept as Officers on Special Duty (OSDs) where such vacancies are available.
Where the post of a head teacher or headmaster is vacant and no suitable head is available, the appointment of an SST General or a teacher of a higher grade as school head on a temporary basis may be proposed.
Similarly, in middle schools where an SST or headmaster is unavailable, the appointment of an SCT or SDM as head may be proposed according to the need and availability of staff.
The department has also allowed temporary arrangements to address shortages of science teachers in high and higher secondary schools. In the absence of a science teacher, primary school teachers having higher qualifications in science subjects may be proposed for temporary placement in such schools.
In higher secondary schools where the post of principal is vacant, a vice principal serving at a nearby school may also be proposed for appointment as principal, keeping in view the requirements of the school.
The department directed that all proposals should be prepared after assessing the actual needs of schools, sanctioned vacancies, student enrolment and subject-wise requirements for teachers. The information must be thoroughly verified before submission.
All district education officers have been directed to submit comprehensive proposals, along with the names of the officials concerned, to the Directorate by September 30, 2026. The department declared the exercise a high-priority task.