Bhaktapur, January 12

Teachers Service Commission, an autonomous body, has been operating without an act, which is eventually creating problems in conducting various reform activities.

The National Teachers Service Commission was established in 1999 through the sixth amendment to Education Act 2071 as per the recommendation of the High Level National Education Commission for recruitment of permanent teachers, recommendation of teachers for promotion and issuance of teaching licence to eligible candidates and for other issues related to teachers of community schools.

Later, after the seventh amendment to the Education Act, the name National Teachers Service Commission was changed into Teachers Service Commission in the year 2002.

Currently, the TSC is planning to upgrade the exam for permanent teachers as well as the exam for teaching licence, but due to lack of an act, it has to rely on the decision of the Ministry of Education.

TSC is also mulling the idea of conducting practical exams for teachers.

A TSC team led by its Chairperson Tana Gautam has recently urged Education Minister Giriraj Mani Pokharel to formulate a separate act for TSC as it has been recognised by the Constitution as an autonomous body.

Gautam said TSC was going to double the full marks of written exam for permanent teachers and change the exam format of teachers’ teaching licence.

Similarly, it is also planning to issue subject-wise teaching licence, which needs to be renewed every five years like the driving licence.

He said, “We are going to bring changes in the written exam for those applying for permanent teachers and issue subject-wise teaching licence but due to lack of an act, we have not been able to reform the organisation.”

He stated that despite the lack of an act, they should continue their work therefore TSC has urged Education Minister Pokharel to amend the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) Regulation to pave the way to bring in changes in exams for permanent teachers.

According to Gautam, the TSC Regulations could be amended through a Cabinet meeting, while the act has to be passed by the House.

He further said that they have to do a lot of work on teachers’ management. Thus, if the regulations are approved by the cabinet at the earliest, it would be easier for their plan to materialise.