Principals and the Hiring Process for Teachers in the Private Schools of Lahore, Pakistan

Based primarily on private secondary schools of Lahore, Pakistan, this qualitative study investigates the processes involved in hiring suitable teachers. In doing so it explores in particular the expectations that principals put forth for teaching candidates and how these, then, dictate the hiring process. Fifteen principals with at least five years’ experience were selected for this study. These principals were in charge of private schools which are uniformly following the local education system of Matriculation and charging tuition fee ranging from Rs. 4000 – 7000. Qualitative research approach is used for this study in which data was collected through one-on-one interviews with the help of a semi-structured interview guide. The participants involved in the study have vast experience of hiring teachers, as their administrative experience ranges from six to twenty years in school setting. The research concludes that a good teaching candidate should have strong content knowledge, good personal characteristics, robust teaching experience and subject-specific pedagogy, proficiency in academic and non-academic tasks, strong written and oral communication skills, good discipline, immaculate handwriting and proficiency in notebook correction, adaptability, and capacity to model oneself to the taught group. The research also lists shortcomings usually found in teaching candidates, which include limited occupational choice, stark differences between paper and real qualifications, lack of teaching qualification/teacher training, poor communication skills, handwriting and work ethics, and gap between university education and practical professional life. The implications of the study suggest that university education programs need drastic, informed changes. It seems imperative to take into account not just how private school teachers are hired but who exactly is hired, and what professional qualifications such candidates hold and what effect this variable has. Based on the findings, the study has made recommendations for teaching candidates and principals as they indulge in the hiring process, and to universities as well in relation to their teacher education programs. Finally, it provides directions for future research and suggests how this study can be enhanced.Ed.D