May 18, 2026
THIMPHU – The Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD) has launched a nationwide review and redeployment exercise to address growing disparities in teacher distribution across schools, in wake of teacher shortages in key subjects and rising teacher attrition.
The exercise seeks to ensure a more balanced allocation of teachers, including subject specialists and teachers trained in Special Educational Needs (SEN),amid concerns that some schools remain overstaffed while others struggle to fill critical vacancies, particularly in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
The final consolidated figures on teacher shortages by subject and level will be available once the review is completed.
“Teacher shortages continue to be influenced by several factors, including mid-year separations, superannuation, teachers moving to other professions, subject-specific shortages, and the ongoing challenge of attracting and retaining teachers in remote and hard-to-staff areas,” said a ministry official.
MoESD Minister Yezang De Thapa, during the 13th Midterm Review of Education, said that despite progress, teacher attrition remains a key challenge.
Between 2020 and 2025, 5,516 teachers resigned while 3,619 were recruited, resulting in a shortage of 1,897 teachers, Lyonpo said.
The phasing out of contract teachers has exacerbated staffing gaps, particularly where replacements have not arrived in time.
Several schools, particularly in western Bhutan, have made temporary local arrangements to sustain regular classes, including hiring individuals with prior teaching experience in private schools to support students preparing for board examinations.
Principals said requests for additional teachers had already been submitted through dzongkhags to the ministry, but schools were still awaiting placements as the mid-term break approaches.
“This process is hindering the timely placement of teachers in schools,” a principal said.
The shortages have increased workloads for existing staff. Some teachers are reportedly handling more than 30 teaching periods a week, raising concerns about burnout and declining teaching quality.
A teacher said the heavier workload leaves little time to prepare effective lesson plans or adequately assess students’ learning progress.
Teachers have also questioned the current deployment system, arguing that a more needs-based distribution could reduce both shortages and surpluses while easing workload disparities across schools.
In some cases, parents have reportedly transferred their children to schools with more stable staffing, citing concerns over the quality of education.
To cope with shortages, some dzongkhag education sectors have adopted multigrade teaching systems, combining two classes in a single classroom where subjects or concepts overlap.
Education officials said students are assigned activities according to grade level, with senior classes given more independent work.
Another measure under consideration is remote teaching, where one teacher would deliver lessons digitally to students across three schools simultaneously.
Dzongkhag Education Officers (DEOs) said it is difficult to determine exact shortages because teachers continue to resign during the academic year.
“There are both teacher shortages and surpluses, mostly among Dzongkha teachers,” a DEO said. “There is no acute teacher shortage, but a few shortages exist mainly in STEM subjects, as many teachers have gone for long-term studies. However, the situation is manageable.”
A DEO said surplus teachers are largely concentrated in urban areas, often due to health-related considerations, while remote schools continue to face staffing constraints.
Some schools are also experiencing excess staffing because of declining student enrolment, according to officials.
Dzongkha teachers, meanwhile, face a separate challenge. While teachers in other subjects are granted full study leave, many Dzongkha teachers pursue their studies during winter breaks over a three-year period to avoid disrupting teaching schedules.
A DEO said granting full study leave to Dzongkha teachers could create additional shortages in the subject.
One Dzongkha teacher from a remote school said staffing calculations under the Teacher Requirement Exercise (TRE) do not reflect realities on the ground.
“According to the system, our school has four Dzongkha teachers in excess,” he said. “But in reality, we are still teaching beyond the normal workload. The system needs to be reviewed and revised.”
Teachers also raised concerns that staff on study leave or extended absence continue to appear as active in the system, affecting recruitment planning and deployment decisions.
Observers said teacher shortages could be eased by deploying trainees from teacher training colleges in Samtse and Paro to schools facing shortages during their teaching practice placements.
Currently, trainees are mostly placed in nearby dzongkhags rather than in schools with the teacher shortages.
To address these issues, the Ministry has adopted a multi-pronged approach, including targeted recruitment, strategic redeployment, enhanced professional development opportunities, and additional incentives for teachers serving in rural schools.
The ministry stated that an additional 214 newly qualified Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) graduates will be deployed to schools from July 2026 to help address teacher shortages, particularly in STEM subjects, and strengthen inclusive learning support in classrooms.
As of 2024, there were 156,272 students and 10,096 teachers in the country, with a teacher-student ratio of 1:15.
Officials said the ministry remains committed to strengthening teacher recruitment, professional development, deployment, and retention, particularly in rural and hard-to-staff schools.
“Ongoing initiatives include teacher immersion and exposure programmes, continuous professional development, mentoring and support systems, and targeted incentives to improve teacher retention and motivation,” officials said.
Schools are being supported through internal resource optimisation, multi-subject teaching arrangements, and inclusive teaching practices to minimise disruptions to student learning.
Bhutan currently has around 360 teachers trained in SEN, with another 30 pursuing a Master of Education in Inclusive Education.
Officials said SEN training opportunities would continue to expand in line with the evolving needs of the education system and the government’s goal of ensuring equitable access to quality education for all learners.