Lahore — Just days before the application deadline, thousands of aspiring teachers across Punjab are struggling to submit their applications for 15,146 School Teacher Intern (STI) posts as the official recruitment portal remains non-functional, causing widespread anxiety and frustration.
The STI portal — the only platform through which applications can be submitted — has been inaccessible for several days, with candidates repeatedly encountering error messages such as: “The gateway did not receive a timely response from the upstream server or application.”
“I have been trying to apply for the STI post for the last five days, and the portal is not working,” said Kiran Zahra from Alipur. “I am worried I will miss this opportunity.” Another applicant, Khadija Fatima, reported trying multiple times daily without success, calling the situation “extremely distressing.”
The recruitment drive, approved by the Punjab cabinet on November 5, aims to induct 30,000 ‘visiting teachers’ in its first phase to help address the acute shortage of 115,000 teachers across the province. Of these, 15,146 STIs are being hired immediately across primary, middle, high, and higher secondary schools. In Lahore alone, 276 STI vacancies exist — with the highest concentrations in Cantonment (95), City (62), Raiwind (47), Shalimar Town (40), and Model Town (32).
According to the announced schedule, applications opened on November 12 and are set to close on November 21. The merit list will be displayed on November 26, interviews will be held on November 29, and the final list of selected candidates will be issued on November 30. Applicants must also deposit a processing fee of Rs1,000 for each internship post they apply for.
“I have been trying to apply for the STI post for the last five days, and the portal is not working,” said Kiran Zahra, a candidate from Alipur.https://t.co/YjkjqhYV6e
— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) November 18, 2025
Despite widespread reports of portal failure, an official from the School Education Department (SED) claimed the system had already received 150,000 applications — a statement that only deepened concerns among those unable to access the portal at all.
The hiring model itself has come under fire from teachers’ unions, who criticise the government for relying on temporary ‘visiting teachers’ instead of permanent appointments. Rana Liaqat, general secretary of the Punjab Teachers Union (PTU), argued that daily-wage teaching would create “additional problems for schools that are already struggling,” urging the government to initiate permanent recruitment.
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The government has stated that school councils will receive additional funds to pay visiting teachers and may generate further resources independently to cover school needs.
SED Secretary Khalid Nazir could not be reached for comment despite repeated attempts.
With the November 21 deadline looming, candidates are urgently calling on the authorities to restore the portal and extend the application window to ensure equal access for all applicants.
