Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Elementary and Secondary Education Department has ordered district education officers to share teachers exam duties fairly and stop assigning the same teachers again and again. In a letter sent to all district education officers, including those in the merged districts, the department said officers must check each teacher’s previous exam assignments before finalising nomination lists for board examinations.
The decision, reported from Shangla on 16 October 2026, has been welcomed by teachers who have long complained that a small group of staff is repeatedly sent on exam duty while others are never nominated.
New Rules on Teachers Exam Duties
The letter from the KP Elementary and Secondary Education Department, Peshawar, gives clear instructions to district offices:
- Exam staff should be nominated from the relevant district under the established procedure.
- District education officers must verify previous exam duties before forwarding nomination lists to the boards.
- The same individuals should not be assigned repeatedly.
- Teachers should not be sent to other districts for exam duty, or relieved from their schools for this purpose, where it breaks the applicable rules.
- Exam arrangements must not disrupt classroom teaching or other essential school activities.
- Officers must follow the rules and regulations of the educational boards while nominating staff.
Copies of the letter have been sent to the department’s secretary, the chairmen of educational boards, controllers of examinations and other relevant authorities.
Also read
Punjab Govt School Admission Last Date 31 October 2026 and 48-Hour Records Verification Order
Why the Department Took This Step
According to the department, repeatedly assigning the same teachers and deploying them outside their home districts was creating administrative problems and disturbing teaching in schools. When a teacher spends weeks on examination duties far from home, his or her classes are often left without a substitute, and students lose valuable study time.
There were also complaints of favouritism, with some teachers saying exam duty lists were prepared without transparency. Exam duties come with an allowance, so unequal distribution also meant some teachers earned extra money every year while others got nothing.
How Teachers and Students Will Benefit
For Teachers
The new instructions mean a more balanced workload. Teachers who were sent on duty in previous sessions should now get a break, while others will get a fair chance to serve as superintendents, deputy superintendents and invigilators. Keeping duties within the district also reduces travel costs, security risks and time away from family, which is especially important for female teachers.
For Students
Students benefit because their teachers stay in class for more days of the academic year. Fresh faces at exam centres may also help reduce cheating, since staff who repeatedly serve at the same centres can build local links that weaken supervision.
The timing of the order is also important. Board examinations and annual school exams in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa often overlap with teaching weeks, and schools in remote districts already struggle with teacher shortages. When even two or three teachers are pulled out of a small school for exam duty, entire classes can remain without a teacher for days. By keeping teachers exam duties local and balanced, the department hopes to protect learning time, especially in primary and middle schools where one teacher often handles several classes.
Also read
Latest Jobs: NUST Faculty Jobs 2026 – Professor, Lecturer and Lab Engineer Posts in Islamabad
Experts Welcome the Order but Want Transparency
Education experts have called the decision a positive step towards easing the burden on teachers and protecting classroom time. However, they stressed that the order will only work if it is implemented in a transparent and merit-based manner. They suggested that each district should keep a digital record of exam duties for every teacher, so that officers can quickly see who has served and who has not. Publishing duty lists in advance could also reduce complaints.
Also read
Matric Date Sheet 2027 Punjab: Expected 9th and 10th Class Exam Dates and Admission Fee Schedule
What KP Teachers Should Do
Teachers who feel they have been assigned exam duty repeatedly can now point to the department’s letter when raising the matter with their district education officer. It is a good idea to keep copies of past duty orders as proof. Head teachers should also inform district offices in writing if relieving a teacher for exam duty will leave classes without any teacher. This is useful KP teachers news for anyone planning ahead for the next board exam season. The original report is available in The Nation.
Also Read: KGES Teacher Jobs 2026 in Karachi | Punjab Teachers Reject 10% Enrolment Targets | KPPSC SST Interviews November 2026
FAQs
What has KP ordered about teachers exam duties?
Duties must be shared fairly, previous assignments must be checked, and teachers should be nominated from their own district.
Who issued the letter?
The Elementary and Secondary Education Department, Peshawar, sent it to all district education officers.
Does the order apply to merged districts?
Yes, the letter was also sent to education officers in the merged districts.