June 26: The Education Ministry recruited 219 university graduates as temporary teachers and reinstated 21 retired teachers on contract basis to address the acute teacher shortage. But 24 university graduates have withdrawn.

The Director of Department of School Education, Tshewang Tandin said one of the reasons for the withdrawal could be because of the remote placement.

The Director of Department of School Education Tshewang Tandin said teaching is a difficult and challenging profession. This, he said, could have partly discouraged them to take up the profession.

Many people have also have expressed concerns about the effectiveness of recruiting fresh university graduates who have had no training as teachers especially at a time when there is so much talk about the quality of education.

The Director of the Department of School Education Tshewang Tandin said the temporary teachers have been given a weeklong crash course. They will also be guided by senior teachers in the school.

The temporary teachers are recruited on a two year contract with a monthly salary of Nu. 10,000. At the end of the contract period, based on the performance and interest, they will be enrolled in the Post Graduate Diploma in Education.