According to NEC report 2006, what was the ratio of untrained teachers in urban and rural areas of public and private sectors?

According to NEC report 2006, what was the ratio of untrained teachers in urban and rural areas of public and private sectors? (a) 5% (b) 7% (c) 25% (d) 51% ✅ Correct option: (c) 25% — Explanation (200+ words) According to the National Education Census (NEC) 2005–06, the overall ratio of untrained teachers in both urban and rural areas, combining public and private sectors, was 25%. This means that one out of every four teachers working in Pakistan at that time did not possess a recognized professional teaching qualification such as PTC, CT, B.Ed, or M.Ed. The NEC provided a comprehensive picture of teacher qualifications across Pakistan and highlighted a serious challenge for the education system. While the public sector—especially in urban areas—had relatively better-trained teachers due to formal recruitment policies, the private sector employed a large number of untrained teachers to minimize costs. This practice was more common in rural areas and low-fee private schools. Untrained teachers negatively affect teaching quality, classroom management, student learning outcomes, and retention rates. The 25% figure alarmed policymakers and became a basis for later reforms, including teacher professional development programs, in-service training, and stricter hiring standards. For PPSC examinations, this question is important because it tests knowledge of education statistics, NEC findings, teacher quality indicators, and sector-wise comparisons. Such factual MCQs are frequently repeated in different forms in competitive exams. —

10 PPSC-Relevant Facts 1. NEC conducted during 2005–06 2. Teacher training is a key quality indicator 3. 25% untrained teachers overall 4. Private sector employed more untrained teachers 5. Rural areas faced higher shortages of trained staff 6. Public sector followed formal recruitment rules 7. Teaching qualifications include PTC, CT, B.Ed, M.Ed 8. Untrained teachers affect learning outcomes 9. NEC data used for education policy reforms 10. Teacher-related MCQs are common in PPSC, FPSC, and NTS