[RECENTLY] the Sindh chief minister, education minister and secretary education were … expressing their concern over the sorry state of education in the province. … People lauded the officials’ promises about opening of closed schools and ensuring attendance of ‘ghost’ teachers.

…[T]he defective process of recruitment of teachers and appointment of munshis of feudals as teachers … resulted in illiterates being recruited as teachers. …

Finally the government realised and decided to recruit teachers on merit. … The education department conducted recruitment tests under supervision of different institutions. All stakeholders expressed satisfaction over the tests conducted by the National Testing Service.

In Jan 2013, NTS … announced the results. The candidates were selected, and primary teachers were issued orders, while thousands of JST and HST candidates are still waiting for joining letters. People fail to understand … why candidates who cleared the tests were issued offer letters … but were not allowed to join their duties. ... — (May 15)

Selected and translated by Sohail Sangi.

Published in Dawn, May 20th, 2014