The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa education department has initiated an investigation into a suspected fraudulent teacher recruitment scandal dating back to 2012. This inquiry focuses on appointments made through the provincial public service commission during the final year of the Awami National Party (ANP) government.
Authorities have launched proceedings against 436 teachers recruited in that period, following the discovery of irregularities while preparing seniority lists. These discrepancies raised serious questions about the legitimacy of certain appointments, prompting the education department to suspend promotions for the affected individuals pending further review.
In a significant development, the provincial government established a four-member committee to thoroughly examine the recruitment process. The investigation revealed that the list submitted by the KP Public Service Commission had allegedly been tampered with after its initial submission to the education department, intensifying concerns about the recruitment’s integrity.
Further scrutiny uncovered that some names were removed from seniority lists, and these inconsistencies were traced back to candidates originally recommended by the commission. Several affected teachers reported working for over a decade without receiving formal appointment letters, only to later find that others had been assigned to their positions.
One candidate stated, “I have spent 14 years without an appointment letter, and now I have learned someone else was recruited in my place,” while noting that his name still appeared on the official Public Service Commission list.
Neither the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa education department nor the Public Service Commission has issued comments on the matter. Additionally, a former education minister from the ANP government declined to provide any statement.
The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities indicating that further actions will be taken based on the committee’s findings.
