KHUJAND, February 21, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- Like schools in other regions of the country, schools in the Sughd province are experiencing an acute shortage of teachers.

To solve this problem, local education authorities have to enlist the services of the best senior school students, according to the Sughd committee for family and women’s.

The source at the committee noted that the province now had 800 teaching vacancies.  “To solve the acute teacher shortage, schools in many districts of the province currently enlist the services of the best 10th and 11th grade students to teach some subjects,” the source said, noting that an order issued by education minister of October 31, 2008 permits to enlist the services of the best senior school students to work with schools as teachers after short-term training course.

“Schools conclude labor contracts with them and they work as teachers only out of their school lessons,” said the source, “These students receive wages as uncertificated licensed teachers.”

270 such senior school students, including 107 girls, currently work with schools in northern Tajikistan as teachers, mainly in Mastchoh, Ghonchi, Zafaraobod and Shahriston districts.