At least 125 Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) graduates are likely to miss out on potential governemnt teaching jobs with the education ministry announcing 170 slots for contract teachers.

This year, in-take of teachers including those with post-graduate diploma in education and B.Ed qualifications has also decreased compared to last year. This year’s intake decreased to 589 from 610 in 2016.

While the number of vacancies for teachers in the Royal Bhutan Civil Service (RCSC) was increased to 279 from just 217 last year, the number of slots for contract teachers has decreased by 120. Last year 290 B.Ed graduates were recruited on contract. This year there are only 170 slots for 295 graduates who didn’t qualify for the civil service.

The education ministry announced 170 slots for contract teachers on March 23. But the notice on its website stated that only the B.Ed graduates who have secured above 50 percent in the Bhutan Civil Service Examinations will be eligible.

While over 574 trainees graduated from the Paro and Samtse Colleges of Education only 559 secured above 50 percent.

Of the 170 slots the education ministry has announced, 107 are for the B.Ed primary and secondary levels. To resolve the shortage of Dzongkha teachers in schools, the ministry is again recruiting 29 more Dzongkha B.Ed graduates on contract after recruiting 50 earlier on regular basis.

The ministry has also announced a vacancy for 34 more science and six IT teachers. But at least 125 B.Ed graduates will have to look for jobs either in private schools or other agencies with only 170 slots available.

Of this lot, 59 of the B.Ed graduates with a science background will not get jobs in government schools with only 34 vacancies available for a total of 93 remaining after RCSC recruited 35 as regular employees.

At least 40 with a primary B.Ed qualification may also have to go without jobs since there are only 107 slots for 210 B.Ed graduates with B.Ed primary and secondary with English/history/geography backgrounds.

Though the ministry increased the intake for Dzongkha B.Ed graduates, 20 would still be left without teaching jobs since only 29 slots are available for 49 graduates left in the job market. Six B.Ed graduates with IT backgrounds will also have to look for jobs elsewhere outside the government teaching jobs since there are slots for only six of the 12 graduates.

In 2016 and 2017, the education ministry recruited around 1,199 teachers.

Tempa Wangdi