The Sindh High Court was informed that although approximately 540 previously closed schools have been reopened, 2,769 government schools in the province still lack teachers.
A single bench of the SHC, led by Justice Salahuddin Panhwar, was also informed that the recruitment process for teachers had resumed, and a committee was established to address the increase in school staff according to census figures.
Regarding the budget for school repairs, government officials stated that the finance department had been approached, and it was decided that 250 public-sector schools would be selected for repairs in the first phase, as recommended by the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
The SHC issued a show-cause notice to the additional finance secretary for his absence without prior notice and summoned the finance secretary to explain the delay in approving the statement of new expenditures (SNEs) submitted by the education department for reopening closed schools.
The bench directed the Sindh Public Service Commission (SPSC) to complete the recruitment of schoolteachers within three months.
The court was hearing a petition filed in 2019, and several orders had been passed on the matter. Previously, the court had instructed the education authorities to establish recruitment rules after being informed that over 7,000 public school teachers in the province would retire by December 2025. The SHC had also ordered the authorities to ensure no school was closed due to a lack of teaching staff and to start filling the anticipated vacancies six months before the teachers’ retirement.
At the start of the hearing, the secretary of the school education department filed a report in compliance with the previous court order, indicating that reminders had been issued to the SPSC regarding the appointment of teachers.
The bench directed the SPSC chairman to complete the recruitment process within three months.
The report also mentioned that the school education department had instructed all directorates and district education officers to prioritize posting newly recruited teachers in schools where teachers would retire within the next four months.
The bench’s order noted that subject specialist teachers recommended by the SPSC would receive appointment orders within 15 days and confirmed that 2,769 schools were currently without teachers in Sindh, though the recruitment process had restarted.
The court had previously directed the education secretary to sanction the SNEs for all closed schools and ensure their functionality, while the finance department was ordered to approve all SNEs from the education department for reopening schools. However, the additional finance secretary was absent without notice, prompting a show-cause notice and a directive for the finance secretary to appear and explain.
The court emphasized that SNEs must be approved immediately to ensure uninterrupted education, a fundamental right of every citizen.
The bench also requested a detailed record of all funds received from foreign donors over the past five years from the secretary of school education and warned of personal appearance in case of non-compliance.
Additionally, the court directed the school education department to implement a policy similar to that of the college department, mandating a minimum service period for newly appointed teachers within their assigned districts. Appointment orders for new teachers should include a clause outlining the consequences of violating the transfer policy, such as the recall of the appointment order if a teacher seeks an early transfer outside their assigned district.
