The Bhutanese Leading the way.
22 backed out due to various reasons despite being selected
To enhance STEM education across Bhutan, the Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD) is making progress in addressing the shortage of qualified STEM teachers in public schools.
During the 33rd session of Parliament, Education Minister, Yeezang De Thapa, addressed the ongoing teacher shortage issue. She highlighted that the remaining gap of 100 teachers will be filled by hiring teachers from India. This recruitment will include 35 teachers for Mathematics, 18 for Physics, 19 for Chemistry, and 28 for Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
The teachers will be hired on a contractual basis for two years.
Additionally, Lyonpo Yeezang De Thapa also assured that the remaining shortages would be addressed next year by recruiting graduates from the Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) program.
Lyonpo emphasized that MoESD is committed to ensuring that no school faces a shortage of STEM teachers by next year.
Regarding the current recruitment process, MoESD has successfully recruited 52 foreign STEM teachers.
Out of the 52 selected candidates, 30 teachers have confirmed their positions, as some teachers withdrew after reviewing the terms and conditions of their contracts, and some due to their personal reasons despite the selection process being thorough.
Of the 30 confirmed foreign STEM teachers, only 23 will be joining public schools this year. Among these, the first cohort of 16 teachers, who arrived in Bhutan earlier, has already commenced their roles in the schools. The remaining 7 teachers are still in the process of joining and are expected to be assigned to the public schools that have STEM teacher shortages.
MoESD has reported that among the 20 dzongkhags, Samtse has received the highest number of foreign STEM teachers. This distribution aims to address the areas with the greatest need for STEM educators.
“Some of the remaining teachers have indicated that they will report to their positions in late November, but there is concern about this timing, as by late November, school syllables are typically nearing completion. To mitigate any potential disruptions, MoESD has suggested that these teachers consider postponing their arrival until the beginning of the next academic session,” read a statement from MoESD.
However, MoESD has noted that the recruitment of the remaining foreign STEM teachers who are expected to join next year have not yet been confirmed, as MoESD is still in the process of finalizing these appointments, and specific details regarding their arrival and placement are yet to be determined.
To ensure that the recruited teachers possess the necessary expertise and qualifications to meet the educational standards and requirements, MoESD said, “The selection criteria for foreign STEM teachers are based on their professional experience and educational qualifications. Candidates are required to hold a Bachelor’s degree in Education (B.Ed) or a Master’s degree.”
In terms of remuneration, it has been mentioned by this paper earlier that foreign STEM teachers will be paid the equivalent of a P3-level teacher. The salary will be shared between the Indian government and the Bhutanese government, with each covering 50 percent of the salary costs.
The efforts to recruit and integrate foreign STEM teachers is a strategy to enhance STEM education, address teacher shortages, and ensure that students receive high-quality education in these crucial subjects.
