M M Jasim :
The government is going to give study permission to at least 200 schools and colleges across the country based on political consideration.
A good number of influential ministers and MPs sent Demi-Official (DO) letters to the Education Ministry for giving study permission of their institutions located in their own constituencies, ministry sources said.
The Education Ministry has been urged to take initiative in this regard as early as possible since 2018 is the election year. It is to fulfill their commitment to the people of their constituencies, they added.
The ministry officials, however, said there are available educational institutions in the country. Thousands of teachers have been demonstrating for enlistment under Monthly Pay Order (MPO) and huge teachers demonstrating for natioanlisation of their institutions.
They said that it would be a silly matter if the ministry approved only the 200 institutions. A top official of the ministry wishing anonymity told The New Nation that the powerful ministers and MPs gave pressure to the Education Minister and the secretary for giving permission of their institutions. The minister now is under tremendous pressure to fulfill the unauthorized request.
Contacted, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid declined to make any comment in this regard.
Chairman to the Parliamentary Standing Committee to the Education Ministry Afsarul Amin said, they are under pressure to establish new schools and colleges.
“This is the election year. Study permission and MPO are not the4 same. The ministry can give the study permission to the institutions on condition of fulfilling terms and conditions of the ministry,” he said.
According to the establishment of the new educational institutions, a junior secondary school can be established for 8,000 people, secondary for 10,000 and higher secondary for 75,000.
The distance between the two junior schools should be six kilometers in rural areas and one kilometer in municipality area, secondary four kilometers and higher secondary institution six kilometers in rural area and two kilometers in municipality areas.
The ministry has already made a list with 200 institutions for giving study permission.
The distance between Sheikh Rusel Junior High School and Hazirhat Junior High School is just a road. But the ministry included the Hazirhat Junior High School for giving study permission.
This is an example. But a good number of educational institutions have been established violating the rules and regulations of the ministry.
