KP Sharma

The recent announcement by the education minister on the potential replacement of the Moderation Exercise (ModEx) with the Bhutan Professional Standard for Teachers (BPST) has sparked both hope and excitement among teachers, though the final decision is still pending.

While many teachers view the shift as a promising step toward enhancing professional standards, others worry that the change could bring unforeseen complications, especially if the implementation is rushed or not carefully planned.

Introduced in 2019, BPST is a set of guidelines and criteria designed to define the competencies and professional standards for teachers. It aims to establish clear expectations for teachers’ competencies, conduct, and performance, ensuring that they meet the required quality standards in their profession.

While BPST offers several advantages, it has raised concerns among some teachers, who fear that the transition could disrupt an already strained system.

Many argue that ModEx, though not without its flaws, provided a more balanced approach, particularly in evaluating the overall teaching environment. They worry that moving to BPST without fully understanding its implications might add more stress to a profession already dealing with high attrition rates.

To avoid such an outcome, some suggest that the ministry adopt a win-win approach, ensuring the new assessment system supports teachers while also upholding professional standards.

The proposal to replace ModEx with BPST follows concerns that ModEx may have caused more harm than good, contributing to a large number of teachers leaving the profession every year. Many teachers who left had cited unfair moderation as a key factor in their job dissatisfaction.

BPST includes several standards and focus areas that teachers must practice in the classroom, some of which are observable and some non-observable.

Under BPST, teachers are categorised into four levels—Beginning, Proficient, Accomplished, and Distinguished—based on their years of service and competencies.

In the initial phase, the government approved an additional allowance of 10 percent for teachers categorised as proficient, 15 percent for accomplished, and 20 percent for those assessed as distinguished.

When observed for assessment, teachers are required to specify which focus areas they would like the evaluator to check, and the assessor marks them accordingly.

A senior teacher in Thimphu said that while assessing teachers based on BPST may not guarantee better quality education, it could boost teachers’ morale and love for their profession.”Every teacher will have BPST rewards and incentives based on the specific category if they excel,” he said.

He said that the IWP moderation, based on student results, often affects teachers in the final evaluation. BPST, however, focuses on teachers’ competency and their ability to deliver lessons.

One positive aspect of BPST is that, unlike the current system where seniority is based on years of service, young teachers can compete for excellence and move up to higher levels through their competencies, even before reaching the required years of service.

Teachers say that BPST focuses on professional excellence, and career progression could happen more quickly for those who excel, adding that BPST does not see years of service as the sole reason for maintaining seniority.

“Teachers’ primary work is to teach, and it sounds fair if we are assessed based on our teaching,” another teacher said.

However, some teachers are skeptical about the assessment process once it is finalised, as they fear it could lead to unnecessary complications.

A principal acknowledged the positive aspects of BPST but stressed that clear regulations must be in place to ensure fair and just assessments.

The principal pointed out that focusing solely on BPST assessments could harm the functioning of schools, as teachers might shy away from taking on other essential activities not covered by BPST.

Another senior teacher in the east, who has vast experience with BPST-related class observations and assessments, cautioned that although it might seem like a lighter system, BPST could pose bigger risks to the profession if teachers are not dedicated and committed to their work.

“It may bog down the teacher since it requires multiple observations, demands more time, and if a teacher cannot progress to the next level after the required number of observations, they may feel forced to leave the profession as BPST would categorise them as incompetent,” he said.

Some teachers also expressed concerns that such an assessment system could affect work environment and culture within schools. They worry it might create divisions among teachers, between those who excel in each career level and those who cannot.

Teachers who fail to meet the targets may face stigmatisation and alienation, which could harm the overall working environment.

Some also feel that a teacher’s performance during the observation may not always be consistent or as expected due to various factors, even if they are excelling on other days. “When this happens, it could demotivate hardworking teachers, highlighting the need for the ministry to adopt a more reasonable approach to assessment,” said a teacher.