For the effective implementation of education policies, including NEP 2020, there is a strong need to introduce departmental examinations for the promotion of school teachers in Jammu and Kashmir.
The model of the departmental examination in the education sector will create healthy competition among educators, making them 24/7 teachers. This will encourage skill improvement, quality education, and concept updates, thereby initiating healthy competition among educators.
The HOI of a middle school is a master cadre, while that of a high school is a headmaster. In simple terms, a teacher, after completing about 16 years of service, is promoted to master grade by the department, and after about 26 years, to headmaster. This type of departmental promotion has harmed the education sector in J&K more than any other factor. The real issue is that when a Rehbar-e-Taleem (RET) teacher is confirmed or a general line teacher is appointed, they already know that after about 16 years, they will become an HOI at the middle school level, and after about 26 years, a headmaster at the high school level. It does not matter how much they excel as a leader or not. The pedagogy of teaching, inclusive education, holistic development, and leadership qualities remain unassessed.
If this issue is not addressed in time, it will create havoc in the coming years. An effective HOI is vital in driving holistic development, reforming education, and realizing the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The success of any education policy implementation lies significantly in the proactive and innovative role of the Head of the Institute (Master at the middle school level and Headmaster at the high school level). When promoted on the basis of merit through departmental examinations, the HOI will be a researcher with a clear vision and strategy, promoting a safe and inclusive school climate and revitalizing the system. Such a promotion process will earn a different level of respect in the eyes and hearts of educators and the public.
NEP 2020 advocates for a robust system of continuous professional development, performance assessment, and teacher training programs to enhance education standards. It emphasizes the continuous assessment of teachers to ensure they are equipped with complete pedagogical skills. This objective will be largely supported by the introduction of departmental examinations for promotions.
Advanced education systems worldwide follow a merit-based promotion system through departmental examinations, ensuring that only competent and skilled educators advance in their careers.
The system of departmental examinations for promotions fosters a culture of continuous learning and motivation. This will benefit students, as they will be taught by updated and skilled educators. The system will encourage innovation, self-improvement, and skill development, keeping educators motivated to progress in their careers.
A friend of mine, after completing about 25 years as a teacher and master, was promoted to the next level as a lecturer in physics. By the time he was promoted, he had forgotten even the basics of physics, as he had spent all those years teaching mathematics at the middle and high school levels. He even considered forfeiting the promotion. The introduction of departmental examinations for promotions to different cadres will help educators remain proficient in their degree subjects.
Departmental promotions without examinations in the education sector discourage innovation and self-improvement, leading to stagnation in teaching methodologies in J&K. The implementation of examinations for promotions has already been adopted by many states in India and countries like Finland, Singapore, and Japan long ago. If implemented in J&K, this reform will revolutionize the education sector, benefiting both educators and students.
The government is spending crores to uplift the education sector. It is time for the J&K Teachers Forum to come forward and discuss the implementation of departmental examinations for promotions with the concerned officials. This must be done with transparency and integrity, moving away from policies based on majority appeasement and focusing on the interests of students and competitive educators. Such a move will support accountability and enhance public trust in the education system.
In most government departments, employees aiming for promotions to the next level must first pass a departmental examination.
In recent years, the education department has issued several circulars exploring the possibility of implementing promotional exams for teachers, masters, lecturers, headmasters, Zonal Education Officers (ZEOs), and principals. This proposal has received significant support from both educators and the public.
It is high time to implement departmental examinations for promotions in the education sector to align with NEP 2020.
The writer is a teacher at Secondary School Narabal
Muntashir Kifayat Hussain
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