Teaching Jobs in Pakistan: PST, SST and Subject Specialist Test Preparation
School teaching is one of the largest sources of government jobs in Pakistan. Provincial education departments hire Primary School Teachers (PST), Elementary School Teachers (EST), Secondary School Teachers (SST) and Subject Specialists (SS) from time to time, usually through a testing service. The names of the posts and scales differ by province, so read the advertisement for your province.
Post levels in simple terms
| Post | Level of teaching | Typical qualification (varies) |
|---|---|---|
| PST / EST | Primary and middle school | Intermediate or bachelor's degree plus a teaching certificate such as PTC, CT, or B.Ed. as required |
| SST | Secondary school (classes 9-10) | Bachelor's degree with B.Ed. in the required subject |
| Subject Specialist | Higher secondary classes (11-12) | Master's degree in the subject, often with B.Ed. |
What the written test checks
- Subject content (usually the largest section): for example, mathematics, science, English or Urdu at the level you teach.
- Professional knowledge: teaching methods, classroom management, assessment and educational psychology.
- General areas: English, Urdu, general knowledge, Pakistan Studies and Islamiat.
Preparing the subject
For PST/EST, study the textbooks of classes 1 to 8 thoroughly; the questions are often taken from them. For SST and Subject Specialist, revise the textbooks of classes 9-12 and the relevant university-level topics. Solve exercises at the end of chapters, because they show the style of questions.
Preparing educational psychology and methods
- Learning theories: Pavlov, Skinner, Piaget, Vygotsky, Bandura: one idea and example for each.
- Teaching methods: lecture, discussion, demonstration, project and activity-based learning.
- Lesson planning: objectives, material, procedure, evaluation.
- Assessment: formative vs. summative, diagnostic tests, and the idea of Bloom's taxonomy (remembering, understanding, applying, analysing, evaluating, creating).
- Classroom management: routines, discipline with respect, and motivation.
Practise with the paper maker
Teachers can use the free Paper Maker on Jobs Bazaar: choose a class, subject and chapters (Classes 6 to 12 are available) and print a practice paper with the answer key. It is useful both for preparing your own tests and for practising MCQs from the textbook level.
Weekly study plan
- Monday - Wednesday: subject chapters and exercises.
- Thursday: educational psychology and methods.
- Friday: English and Urdu.
- Saturday: a full timed test.
- Sunday: review mistakes and rest.
Interview and demonstration
Some recruitments include a short demonstration lesson. Choose a simple topic, state the objective, use one real-life example, ask the class two questions, and summarise at the end. Speak clearly and keep the board neat.
Check the official advertisement for age limits, required certificates and the last date, and apply early.