MoESD to recruit 56 PGDE graduates for STEM subjects by July this year

2026-03-02 - 08:25

The Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD) has been working to address the shortage of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) teachers in government schools. The issue has become important as schools try to maintain the quality of education and meet the growing demand for STEM subjects. Although recent data show an overall excess of teachers in some STEM subjects as well, a portion of these positions are currently filled by foreign STEM teachers who were temporarily recruited to meet urgent shortages in schools. The MoESD said that as part of the Bhutan-India partnership, a temporary recruitment of STEM teachers from India began in 2024 to bridge immediate gaps caused by teacher attrition, particularly in key STEM subjects The foreign STEM teachers were recruited because the country did not have enough qualified teachers in certain STEM subjects. The shortage arose from factors such as teacher attrition, transfers, and retirements, especially in remote and hard-to-reach dzongkhags. The MoESD said, “To date, three recruitment cohorts have brought 54 foreign STEM teachers into schools.” These foreign teachers are hired on two-year contracts, with a selection process based on candidates’ professional experience and academic qualifications, requiring at least a Bachelor’s degree in Education. This is to ensure that the recruited teachers possess the necessary expertise and qualifications to meet the educational standards and requirements, so that the students receive high-quality education in these crucial subjects. Their recruitment was introduced as a short-term measure to ensure that students’ learning was not disrupted, especially in key subjects. However, if these temporary foreign teachers are not gradually replaced with trained national teachers, schools may again experience shortages once their contracts end. Moreover, to address teacher shortages, particularly in STEM subjects, the ministry said that the placement of Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) graduates by July 2025 has further strengthened the workforce. According to the ministry, this initiative has significantly reduced overall STEM teacher gaps, providing more stability. However, the MoESD said that shortages remain in certain subjects, and further said, “There are still shortages in certain subjects, especially Mathematics and Information and Communication Technology (ICT), where demand continues to exceed supply.” To address these challenges, the ministry plans to recruit additional STEM teachers by placing PGDE STEM teachers in July this year. “The ministry plans to place an additional 56 PGDE STEM teachers by July 2026, which is expected to largely address shortages in Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, and Biology nationwide,” stated MoESD. Subject-wise, this year’s board results show that Class 10 students performed the lowest in ICT, with only 6,931 students passing out of 12,316 who appeared for the exam. The ministry noted that this could be due to limited resources, such as computers and qualified teachers for ICT subjects, making it particularly difficult for students to learn effectively. Many students struggle to keep up with practical exercises and concepts, and the lack of hands-on guidance means they face additional challenges in understanding and applying ICT skills. The MoESD said that a fourth cohort of ICT teacher recruitment is being planned. At the same time, national teacher education programmes are continuing to expand their ICT training capacity to prepare more Bhutanese teachers with the required digital and technical skills. These efforts are expected to gradually reduce the gap and strengthen ICT teaching across the country’s schools. The recent examination board examination results in the Science stream also highlight ongoing challenges in STEM education, where more than 1,000 students failed in each major subject, including Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. Acknowledging these gaps, the MoESD has taken measures to strengthen the STEM teaching workforce. Temporary recruitment of foreign teachers from India, the placement of PGDE graduates, and ongoing ICT teacher initiatives are aimed at addressing immediate shortages and providing stronger classroom support. According to the ministry, more than 1,200 Bhutanese STEM teachers are currently serving across government schools.