KP Sharma

The National Council’s special committee on education expressed concerns over unfair and inconsistent teacher transfer and promotion practices, which are causing dissatisfaction and demotivation among educators across the country.

The committee’s findings, presented during a review of education-related legislation yesterday, spotlighted the growing disparity between urban and rural postings, inadequate monitoring, and outdated promotion criteria.

The committee highlighted issues surrounding the implementation of the Bhutan Civil Service Rules and Regulations (BCSR) 2023, which outlines the guidelines for teacher transfers.

Although the BCSR mandates that civil servants, including teachers, can be transferred after five years of service, discrepancies in the application of these guidelines have led to frustration within the teaching community.

The BCSR further stipulates that individuals must serve a minimum of two years in their current position before requesting a transfer.

However, the committee discovered that these guidelines are frequently ignored or applied inconsistently by the agencies responsible for managing transfers, leading to inefficiencies like overstaffing in some schools and understaffing in others.

The NC report urged the relevant authorities to follow the established guidelines more rigorously, stressing that inconsistent transfers not only disrupt teaching but also contribute to unequal workloads across the country.

A bone of contention is the disparity in teacher transfers between urban and rural areas. Despite years of service in remote areas, many teachers are stuck in rural posts with no clear pathway to move to urban schools.

Calling the current transfer practices as unfair, NC member from Paro, Ugyen Tshering, said that the rules, despite being made clear by RCSC, are applied inconsistently. “The transfer criteria between teachers serving in urban and rural areas should be different,” he said.

“Some teachers have served in rural areas for more than 30 years, but those serving in urban areas enjoy more advantages in several aspects,” he said.

He argued that teachers in rural areas who have dedicated so many years should be offered additional incentives to compensate for their service.

NC member from Wangdue, Phub Dorji, said that the RCSC should intervene and ensure that dzongkhags do not have sole authority over transfer decisions.

He also suggested that transfers should occur either at the beginning or end of the academic year to avoid disrupting students’ learning.

Some NC members said that transfers are sometimes granted based on personal connections or favoritism rather than merit or field requirements. This, members warned, increases the risk of corruption and undermines the integrity of the transfer system.

Some members also called for investigations into the origins of these rules and the agencies responsible for monitoring them.

A key factor in the unfair transfer process, according to the committee, is the lack of adequate monitoring from relevant agencies.

Regarding teacher promotion and retention, the committee urged the Ministry of Education and Skills Development to streamline and strengthen the current process. It found that some aspects of the promotion system are outdated and unfair.

According to the committee’s findings, Vice Principals (VPs) often face a “career ceiling” and can only advance through open selection processes, which can be demotivating for many who have already demonstrated leadership potential in their schools.

Similarly, principals in smaller schools are not eligible for promotion if their schools do not meet the required student numbers, which discourages experienced leaders from advancing.

“Establishing a more structured, internal promotion pathway could improve motivation and allow VPs and principals to advance based on their experience and performance, benefiting both the schools and the education system,” the report stated.

NC member from Samtse, Tashi Dhendup, said that some talented VPs with leadership skills have left the profession due to unfair promotion rules. “It would be wise to offer regular positions even if they cannot qualify for the next position through open competition, rather than allowing their careers to stagnate,” he added.

He said that when VPs are overlooked for promotions, junior colleagues often surpass them, further demotivating senior staff.

The issue of VP promotions has been an issue for many years. Former Prime Minister Dr Lotay Tshering had previously instructed the Ministry of Education and Skills Development and the RCSC to review the promotion criteria, acknowledging that the existing system was unfair.

While the education ministry officials admitted that the promotion criteria are problematic, no significant changes have been made to address the issue.