M M Jasim :
The teachers from government primary schools to government colleges are going to take to the street to press home their different demands affecting academic activities.
Assistant teachers of government primary schools have demanded their salary just next to the headmasters’ scale, with an ultimatum of hunger strike from December 23 in case of refusal by the ministry.
They detailed their programme on Friday at a press conference held in the VIP Lounge of the Jatiya Press Club organised by Bangladesh Primary Assistant Teachers Great Alliance.
Shahinur Akhter, President of National Primary Assistant Teachers Foundation, said, “We will observe hunger strike for indefinite period on the Central Shaheed Minar premises from December 23 if the government does not meet our demand.”
He said that the Directorate of Primary Education proposed to promote the headmasters of government primary schools to 10th grade. The assistant teachers are in the 6th grade. The teachers would not support such discrimination, he said.
“If the headmasters get salary as per 10th grade, the assistant teachers deserve 9th grade. The government can dismiss such discrimination accepting the assistant teachers’ demand,” Shahinur Akhter said.
Uzzal Ray, Founding Convener of Bangladesh Primary Assistant Teachers Society, said, “The headmasters and the assistant teachers had equal salary in 1973. The assistant teachers’ grade was just one grade below the headmasters’ till 2006. It is now three grade below. The assistant teachers will go one more grade below if the new instruction of Directorate of Primary Education is implemented.”
“We have no second option, but tough movement. We will shut down the schools and resort to the hunger strike,” he said. Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) Education cadres have been demonstrating against the government decision of decorating the teachers of 283 newly nationalised government colleges with cadre designation.
The BCS Education Association observed work abstention in all the government colleges across the country on November 27 and 28.
It will also observe work abstention on January 6-8 in the country’s government colleges.
The leaders of the organisation also warned of tough movement in case of rejection.
BCS Education Association President I K Selim Ullah Khandoker told The New Nation that the Public Service Commission (PSC) selected the BCS education cadres from thousands of candidates through highly competitive examinations. The most qualified and meritorious students are made BCS education cadres to teach in the country’s government colleges, he said.
The Association president said, “We have no contradiction with the government’s decision of nationalization of the colleges. We rather congratulate the government for the excellent initiative. But it will not be good if the teachers of these institutions are made BCS education cadre. It is just discrimination. And even they are not eligible to teach the honours and masters level students. The total education sector will be jeopardised.”
The teachers from government primary schools to government colleges are going to take to the street to press home their different demands affecting academic activities.
Assistant teachers of government primary schools have demanded their salary just next to the headmasters’ scale, with an ultimatum of hunger strike from December 23 in case of refusal by the ministry.
They detailed their programme on Friday at a press conference held in the VIP Lounge of the Jatiya Press Club organised by Bangladesh Primary Assistant Teachers Great Alliance.
Shahinur Akhter, President of National Primary Assistant Teachers Foundation, said, “We will observe hunger strike for indefinite period on the Central Shaheed Minar premises from December 23 if the government does not meet our demand.”
He said that the Directorate of Primary Education proposed to promote the headmasters of government primary schools to 10th grade. The assistant teachers are in the 6th grade. The teachers would not support such discrimination, he said.
“If the headmasters get salary as per 10th grade, the assistant teachers deserve 9th grade. The government can dismiss such discrimination accepting the assistant teachers’ demand,” Shahinur Akhter said.
Uzzal Ray, Founding Convener of Bangladesh Primary Assistant Teachers Society, said, “The headmasters and the assistant teachers had equal salary in 1973. The assistant teachers’ grade was just one grade below the headmasters’ till 2006. It is now three grade below. The assistant teachers will go one more grade below if the new instruction of Directorate of Primary Education is implemented.”
“We have no second option, but tough movement. We will shut down the schools and resort to the hunger strike,” he said. Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) Education cadres have been demonstrating against the government decision of decorating the teachers of 283 newly nationalised government colleges with cadre designation.
The BCS Education Association observed work abstention in all the government colleges across the country on November 27 and 28.
It will also observe work abstention on January 6-8 in the country’s government colleges.
The leaders of the organisation also warned of tough movement in case of rejection.
BCS Education Association President I K Selim Ullah Khandoker told The New Nation that the Public Service Commission (PSC) selected the BCS education cadres from thousands of candidates through highly competitive examinations. The most qualified and meritorious students are made BCS education cadres to teach in the country’s government colleges, he said.
The Association president said, “We have no contradiction with the government’s decision of nationalization of the colleges. We rather congratulate the government for the excellent initiative. But it will not be good if the teachers of these institutions are made BCS education cadre. It is just discrimination. And even they are not eligible to teach the honours and masters level students. The total education sector will be jeopardised.”
