The Punjab School Education Department has directed authorities to recover excess stipend payments made to thousands of School Teacher Interns (STIs) after a system error resulted in additional salaries being credited to their accounts.
The decision affects approximately 35,000 daily-wage school teacher interns across the province who received full-month payments for May 2026 despite the early commencement of summer vacations.
Why Are STIs Being Asked to Return Money?
According to official documents, the Education Department processed May 2026 stipend payments for School Teacher Interns and transferred the amounts to their bank accounts.
However, officials later discovered that interns had been paid for the entire month of May instead of only the period they were officially on duty.
What Happened?
- Summer vacations began on May 22, 2026
- STIs were entitled to payment only up to May 21
- Due to a system processing error, full-month stipends were issued
- Interns received payment for an additional 10 days
The department says the extra amount paid from May 22 to May 31 must now be recovered.
Education Department Issues Recovery Orders
In an official directive, district education authorities and relevant offices have been instructed to:
✅ Calculate the excess amount paid
✅ Recover the overpaid stipend from interns
✅ Deposit recovered funds into the government treasury
Recovery Deadline
📅 June 15, 2026
Officials have been asked to complete the recovery process before the deadline.
Teachers Express Concern
Many School Teacher Interns have expressed disappointment over the decision, arguing that the overpayment resulted from an administrative mistake rather than any action on their part.
Several teachers said they were unaware of the error when the money was credited to their accounts.
According to affected interns:
- The payment appeared to be a regular stipend
- No prior warning was issued
- Many have already spent the money on household and Eid-related expenses
Teachers say returning the amount within a short period may create financial difficulties for many families.
Background: Early Summer Vacations
The issue arose after the Punjab government announced early summer vacations due to rising temperatures and heatwave conditions.
Schools across Punjab officially closed on:
📅 May 22, 2026
As a result, temporary and daily-wage staff were only eligible for payment until the last working day before the holidays.
What Happens Next?
Education authorities are expected to coordinate with schools and district offices to determine:
- The exact overpayment amount for each intern
- The recovery mechanism
- Compliance with the June 15 deadline
No announcement has yet been made regarding installment options or alternative recovery arrangements for affected interns.
Key Details
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Affected Employees | School Teacher Interns (STIs) |
| Number of Teachers | Approximately 35,000 |
| Issue | Extra Salary Paid Due to System Error |
| Overpayment Period | May 22–31, 2026 |
| Recovery Deadline | June 15, 2026 |
| Reason | Summer Vacations Began on May 22 |
The development has sparked debate among teachers, with many urging the Punjab Education Department to consider relief measures for interns who have already utilized the mistakenly credited funds.
