In a move towards resolving the long-festering issue of temporary teachers, the Teachers Service Commission on Friday opened vacancies under the reservation quota for the temporary teachers willing to compete internally instead to opting for golden handshake.

The eighth amendment to the Education Act-1972 has given the teachers two options—taking part in an internal competition or choosing a retirement package—to manage the temporary teachers. Those recruited before September 19, 2015 can file their candidacy by the end of April. As many as 16,326 positions from primary to secondary level have been opened through a public notice.

The temporary teachers recruited between January 4, 1993 and August 5, 2004 will have to compete among their peers for the permanent posts. However, only 49 percent of the seats will be reserved for the temporary teachers recruited between August 5, 2004 and September 19, 2015.

The examination date, according to the public notice from the TSC, will be announced after the completion of registration.

Teachers who do not wish to sit for the test will be offered golden handshake in three categories: those with service period of 5-10 years, 10 to 15 years and above 15 years. Temporary teachers in the first category will be entitled to an amount equal to 15 days’ salary for each service year, while those under the second and third categories will be paid one month’s salary and 45 days’ salary respectively for each year of their service.

According to records at the Education Ministry, around 28,000 temporary teachers are serving in 16 different categories, some of them working for more than two decades.

A major focus of the amendment passed in June last year was permanent settlement of temporary teachers. The government plans not to hire temporary now onwards.