The average score of primary level government teachers in Balochistan is 32 and 39 per cent in mathematics and science tests respectively, according to a survey conducted by the United Nations International Children Emergency Fund (Unicef).

The survey, a copy of which is available with DawnNews TV, was conducted in 12 districts of Balochistan to gauge the competency of government teachers. Unicef tested around 1,152 teachers with an almost equal gender break up in Urdu, English, Mathematics and Science subjects. Of the teachers tested, 500 taught at the primary level, while 652 taught the secondary level.

Primary level teachers fared slightly better in Urdu and English, with an average of 60 and 50 per cent.

Meanwhile, secondary level teachers scored an average of 52 per cent in Urdu, 31 per cent in English, 25 per cent in Science and 23 per cent in Mathematics.

Among the districts where the tests were held, Gwadar fared the worst while Harnai emerged as the "top scoring district", the report said.

When asked about the findings of the survey, which was conducted between January 2017 to July 2018, Balochistan's Education Secretary Noorul Haq admitted that the "teachers' capacity [in the province] is poor".

However, he claimed that the Balochistan government was taking steps to improve teaching standards in the province. The government has invested Rs605 million in a three-year programme to train 35,0000 teachers in order to raise teaching standards, Haq claimed. The estimated number of teachers in Balochistan is 60,000, according to the provincial education department.