The Punjab government is likely to extend the contracts of around 25,000 School Teacher Interns (STIs) working in public schools across the province. The move could provide relief to thousands of teachers who have been waiting for a decision on their reappointment.
The contracts of the STIs expired on May 22, shortly before the start of the summer holidays. The new academic session has now begun, but many interns are still waiting for confirmation about their future in government schools.
Punjab’s Education Minister had earlier announced that the contracts would be extended after the summer break. However, the promised extension has not yet been implemented. The delay has created uncertainty among the teachers and raised concerns about staffing shortages in public schools.
The Punjab Education Department has now sent a summary regarding the contract extension to the Chief Minister for approval. According to the department, the contracts will be extended once the summary receives the required approval.
The development is expected to be closely watched by thousands of STIs across Punjab. Many of these teachers have continued to wait for official instructions regarding their positions after their contracts expired.
The Punjab Teachers Union has also called for an immediate decision on the matter. The union said the shortage of teachers is affecting academic activities in government schools across the province.
The union has urged the government to complete the approval process without further delay. It said the continued absence of teachers could create additional difficulties for students and schools during the new academic session.
School Teacher Interns were recruited to help address teacher shortages in public schools. Their services have supported educational activities in schools where regular teaching staff may be insufficient.
With the new academic year already underway, schools are facing the challenge of managing classes and teaching responsibilities. The expected extension could help reduce some of the pressure caused by the shortage of teachers.
The final decision now depends on approval from the Punjab Chief Minister. Once approved, the Education Department is expected to issue further instructions regarding the extension of STI contracts.
Teachers and their representatives are waiting for a formal notification. The decision will determine whether the around 25,000 interns will continue their services in Punjab’s public schools.
The matter has also highlighted the wider issue of teacher shortages in government schools. Education stakeholders have repeatedly called for timely recruitment and stable teaching arrangements to ensure uninterrupted academic activities.
For now, STIs across Punjab remain hopeful that the government will approve the summary soon. A formal decision could provide clarity to teachers while helping schools manage their teaching requirements during the ongoing academic session.
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