Punjab Minister warns poor-performing teachers of dismissal over low results

Speaking at a press conference, the minister said he takes responsibility for the Class 9 and 10 examination results and announced strict action against

LAHORE: Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat has warned that teachers whose schools record extremely poor examination results will face dismissal, saying there will be no leniency over weak academic performance.

Speaking at a press conference, the minister said he takes responsibility for the Class 9 and 10 examination results and announced strict action against schools where the success rate remains around 20 per cent.

Rana Sikandar Hayat said approximately 2,200 schools with results of up to 20 per cent had been identified for scrutiny. Teachers associated with these institutions would not simply receive show-cause notices; those found responsible for consistently poor performance could be removed from service, he said.

The minister attributed the decline in overall pass rates partly to recent reforms aimed at improving transparency and eliminating cheating networks from the examination system. He said that, unlike previous years, there had been no reports of widespread cheating at examination centres or paper leaks this year.

He said the government had also introduced significant changes to the examination and marking systems. The Class 9 curriculum has been updated and shortened in line with global standards, while on-screen marking has been introduced on a pilot basis. The system is expected to be implemented fully next year.

For the first time, practical examinations were also marked through the respective examination boards, the minister said, adding that stricter marking procedures and reforms naturally affected examination outcomes.

A committee is being constituted to examine the results and determine the reasons behind the decline in performance, Rana Sikandar Hayat said. At the same time, the government plans to recognise high-performing teachers through awards as part of efforts to encourage better academic standards.

Discussing outsourced schools, the minister said their overall results stood at 81 per cent, which, in his view, demonstrated that stronger academic outcomes were achievable. He maintained that the government was justified in taking action against teachers whose performance remained unsatisfactory.

Responding to questions about reports of declining enrolment in public colleges and universities, the education minister rejected the claims, saying there was no truth in reports of a decrease. He maintained that enrolment in public-sector colleges and universities had instead increased significantly, with the growth reflected in official records.