Why teachers are resigning and the impact it is having

Almost all the schools in the country are losing experienced teachers.

From 1 January to 17 February 2023 around 243 teachers have resigned and 104 teachers have taken Extraordinary Leave (EOL).

The highest numbers of teachers leaving are from the schools in Thimphu Thromde, so far. It has been learnt that every day, Thimphu Thromde receives about five resignations.

According to the Ministry of Education and Skilled Development (MoESD), just in 2022 more than 1,125 teachers have left due to various reasons, such as voluntary resignation, contract expiration, termination and unfortunate events, such as death.

622 teachers resigned voluntarily from schools in 20 dzongkhags and 262 teachers in Thimphu as of 1 January till the end of December 2022. Out of 262 teachers, more than 114 teachers in Thimphu have voluntarily resigned in 2022, and the numbers will be adding up because the teachers are still putting up their resignation.

The MoESD official said although the maximum numbers of teachers in Thimphu have left, but the schools are comfortably operating, for now. However, there is a shortage of general teachers (PP-VI) and the schools are managing with those teachers of higher secondary level, and many have shared that doing so has increased the work burden.

According to the Annual Education Statistics 2022, the number of teachers in public primary education leaving the education system has been increasing over the years. However, there was a sharp decline in 2020 with an attrition rate for teachers in public primary school at 1.6 percent. The attrition rate again rose to 3.8 percent in 2021 and reached 5 percent in 2022. On average, the attrition rate has been 3.8 percent for Primary Education over seven years.

As of 2022, the attrition rate for public secondary school teachers stands at 4.8 percent, which is a further increase in comparison to 2021. 2020 has seen one of the lowest teacher attrition rates till date and 2022 depicts one of the highest. On average, the attrition rate of public secondary school teachers has been 4 percent over seven years.

The qualification of teachers teaching in secondary schools are a bachelor’s degree.

So far, the education ministry did not try to stop teachers who were resigning, and it was learnt that in the dzongkhags, when Extra Ordinary Leave (EOL) was not approved, the teachers voluntarily resigned.

It has also learnt that many experienced teachers in remote schools seek for transfers in urban areas because they want to resign and go abroad since it is much easier to apply in other organizations or leave for Australia when in Thimphu. Once the teachers are transferred to schools in urban areas, they work for a maximum for six months and then resign.

The fresh graduates from two teaching colleges have also reduced to 50 applications compared to past where the ministry used to receive more than 150 students applying for regular contract teachers.

The MoESD official said there are teachers required for IT and accounts subjects, but it is not available in the market either, and recruiting fresh graduates will be difficult as they have to teach in the higher secondary school level.

There are 9,185 teachers as of 2021.

Many teachers who resigned shared that heavy workload, poor leadership, lack of training opportunities have led them to resign.

Meanwhile, the Principal of Samtse Higher School shared that the school has a shortage of ICT teachers, English and Biology teachers and three teachers have resigned and one went on EOL.

Similarly, the Principal of Gelephu High School said that there are teacher shortages every year, and even now, there are teachers resigning but the school, as such, has not felt the dire need for teachers since they are managing with teachers available for now. As for impact on students’ learning, it will only be known after a year or so, as it is too early to make a judgment on this, the Principal added.

Teachers from Gaselo Central School in Wangduephodrang have also resigned, and there are a few who are planning to resign. The school requires ICT, Science and other subject teachers, and currently, the school is managing with the available teachers to teach those subjects.

The schools in Wangduephodrang have already discussed the number of teachers required and have already submitted it to the education ministry.

While the Principal of Wamrong Lower Secondary School in Trashigang shared that only one teacher is in maternity leave, otherwise they have not seen any teachers resigning from the school. The Principal shared that the school is comfortable with the number of teachers, and since it is a lower secondary school, teachers of the higher secondary can also teach the students.