Navigating The Pedagogical Landscape: A Qualitative Inquiry Into Teachers’ Perceptions And Preparedness For Teaching License In Sindh, Pakistan

Abstract

Quality of teachers’ development, recruitment, and retention holds substantial value when it comes to delivering quality education. In this paradigm, teaching licensing epitomizes the cornerstone of development as it brings professionalism in teaching, executing strict protocols of compliance with quality measures. In the context of Pakistan, the emergence of the Sindh Teaching License Policy has served as a progressive initiative towards elevating the educational caliber in the province to ensure teachers’ adherence and compliance to certain standards of skills, knowledge, and competence and, in turn, bringing professional proficiency to them. The current study is aimed at exploring teacher’s perceptions and readiness concerning the newly introduced teacher licensing system in the context of the province of Sindh, Pakistan. Data was analysed and presented by conducting a thematic analysis of interviews. Findings revealed that when asked about their perceptions, teachers expressed skepticism about licensing policy implementation, cited resource constraints, showed transparency and accountability concerns, called for better stakeholder engagement and support, and finally demanded clarity on policy, benefits, and its impact on their professional status. Moreover, while discussing their readiness and the barriers they encountered, teachers communicated a lack of readiness for the requirements as they felt the absence of formal training and support by their institutions, and the need for supportive resources and test materials. Furthermore, personal financial constraints, resistance to change, and inequity of access were notably hindering access to licensure at the primary individual levels. On the contrary, the senior educational faculty members recognized the significance and need for the policy initiative and careful implementation of the policy. The challenges highlighted include the involvement of private sector schools, the status of existing teachers, the importance of teacher involvement, and the government's responsibility for support. This research study emphasizes the need for dedicated efforts by policymakers and educational stakeholders to enhance teacher licensing and improve the quality of education in Sindh.