Centralising teachers' recruitment process

THE education ministry is reportedly planning to recruit teachers for non-government secondary schools, madrasas and colleges centrally. To this end, a list of prospective teachers will be prepared according to merit through a test of candidates held by the National Teachers' Registration and Certification Authority (NTRCA).

Understandably, the government move, which aims to clip the power of the governing bodies of the local schools, colleges and madrasas in appointing teachers, is attributable to the widespread corruption and irregularities existing in the sector. But a question remains. Who is going to give the guarantee that the centrally controlled teachers' recruitment process will be above board? Furthermore, the authority is being burdened with the entire the task of appointing teachers for some 19,000 secondary schools, 9,500 madrasas and 3,500 colleges of the country.  It flies in the face of the policy of decentralising power to local authorities.

It cannot be overemphasised that the governing bodies of local secondary schools and colleges are neither controlled, nor run professionally. They turn into a hotbed of corruption and nepotism. Small wonder such evil practice has seriously affected the standard of education. The MPs, in many instances, influence the educational institutions under their constituencies by appointing teachers to suit their personal or political ends. Wouldn't it be wiser for the government to find ways to rid the local school management bodies of corrupt and incompetent elements and let the bodies operate under guidelines and criteria set by the education ministry?