Although their educational institutions were nationalised over a year back, some 5,500 teachers of government primary schools in Sylhet division are yet to be paid their salaries.
Still waiting to be paid for the last one year, the teachers are passing through a miserable condition with their family members.
Responding to teachers’ woes, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on January 9, 2013 made an announcement that all non-government, registered and non-registered primary schools would be nationalised in three phases. She had also said with the nationalisation of 26,193 non-government primary schools, the country’s primary education would be fully nationalised by January 1 this year.
The jobs of 1.04 lakh teachers and 26,193 employees had also been regularised with the nationalisation of their respective institutions.
Sources at the Directorate of Primary Education said a total of 1,358 non-government primary schools, including 266 community ones, were regularised in four districts under the Sylhet division.
Of them, 296 are in Sylhet district, 550 in Sunamganj, 269 in Moulvibazar and 243 in Habiganj.
The sources also said there are 5,430 teachers in the nationalised schools.
Talking to UNB, a number of teachers said they have not yet received salaries either in new pay structure or in the old one during the period.
“We aren’t getting salaries in the old pay structure, let alone the new one,” said a teacher wishing anonymity.
He said he has been forced to borrow money from money lenders to maintain his family. Like him, many teachers said they are now passing hard days for want of money.
However, the teachers continue to carry out the academic activities though they have remained unpaid.
Asked about the delay in providing salaries to the teachers, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid recently told local journalists that the teachers would be provided salaries very soon. “A process to pay salary to the teachers is underway,” he said.
Nahid, however, said officials concerned under his ministry are yet to receive necessary information about many schools, adding that many teachers have lacked qualifications for being regularised.
