Press conference of teachers on 11-point demand

Bangladesh Teachers' Association (BTA) has held a press conference on 11-point demands, including nationalization of secondary education, protests against teachers being humiliated and forced to resign across the country. The press conference was held at Maulana Mohammad Akram Khan Hall of the National Press Club on Saturday (September 7).

In the press conference, General Secretary of Bangladesh Teachers' Association Sheikh Kawshar Ahmed said, nationalization of secondary education has now become the need of the hour to eliminate government and private discrimination in the education system. We teachers and employees have been demanding the nationalization of secondary education for a long time in order to ensure equal opportunities for quality education for all.

He said, in 2023, under the banner of Bangladesh Teachers' Association (BTA), in front of the National Press Club, from July 11 to August 1, 2023, the hunger strike program was held for 22 days. In the program, the central president of BTA, principal Md. Many teachers including Bazlur Rahman Mia were injured and one teacher died. Even the then Minister of Education Dr. because of leading the movement. Deepu Monir got angry and conspired on his orders to dismiss me completely illegally, which was not allowed to join the service despite stay by the High Court.

Sheikh Kawshar Ahmed said, Dr. Despite unprecedented arbitrariness and opposition, Dipu Moni promised to nationalize secondary education with the aim of eliminating public-private disparity on August 1, 2023 as the demands raised after lengthy discussions with the then government were considered reasonable during the continuous program.

The movement was adjourned with a promise to remove existing government and private disparities at the earliest, especially in financial benefits including full festival allowance, house rent and medical allowance. But regrettably, the previous government did not keep its promises. At this time, he presented 11-point demands on behalf of the teachers.

The demands are-
1. Nationalization of secondary education with the aim of eliminating government and private discrimination in the education sector, including attracting talented people to the teaching profession.

2. To replace the existing education curriculum with an up-to-date, modern and science oriented education curriculum.

3. Full festive allowance, house rent and medical allowance like government teachers and employees.

4. Pay scale of head teacher in grade 6 and assistant head teacher in grade 10 and higher scale to assistant head teacher in private schools like government schools.

5. To introduce transfer system of teachers and employees belonging to MPO.

6. Introduction of pension scheme similar to that of government teachers and until it is introduced, stop additional deduction of 4 per cent from salary of teachers including payment of pension benefits and welfare trust within 6 months of retirement.

7. Raising the service age of teaching staff to 65 years like university teaching staff.

8. Formation of teacher recruitment commissions like Public Service Commission and posting of MPO teachers at different levels of education administration at proportional rates.

9. Rapid implementation of the National Education Policy-2010 with the aim of eliminating all existing government and private discrimination in the education sector.

10. Abolish the managing committee/governing body system and run it like a government educational institution.

11. All recognized educational institutions to be included in MPO.

The president of the teachers' association. The press conference chaired by Bazlur Rahman was also present – Senate member of Dhaka University and advisor of Bangladesh Teachers Association Babu Ranjit Kumar Saha, Joint General Secretary of Teachers Association Md. Mohiuddin, organizing secretary. Iqbal Hossain, Office Secretary Md. Jahangir Hossain, co-organizing secretary. Harun Or Rashid, Baharul Islam, Nasreen Nahar and other teacher leaders.

Bangladesh /FM