Govt plans to recruit 70,000 teachers at MPO-affiliated educational institutions

Education and Primary and Mass Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Haque Milon has announced plans to recruit more than 100,000 new teachers across the country. 

Of these, 32,500 head teachers will be recruited in government primary schools and about 70,000 teachers and lecturers will be recruited in various private MPO-affiliated educational institutions.

He made the announcement as the chief guest at a programme titled ‘Global Partnership Education System Transformation Grant and Multiplier Grant for Bangladesh’ organised by UNESCO at the InterContinental Hotel in the capital on Thursday.

The minister said that the Appellate Division has recently accepted the government’s appeal in a case related to the recruitment of 32,500 head teachers of government primary schools. 

Consequently, it will be possible to start the recruitment process that has been stalled for a long time. At the same time, an opportunity has been created to recruit about 70,000 more teachers and lecturers in MPO-affiliated educational institutions.

He added that the Non-Governmental Teachers Registration and Certification Authority (NTRCA) is preparing to fill about 78,000 vacancies in MPO-listed schools, colleges, madrasas and technical education institutions under a new system. 

In the new system, instead of accepting applications from those who have passed the registration exam, it will be recommended to directly recruit assistant teachers, lecturers and trade instructors through written and oral examinations.

Regarding the HSC examination, the minister said that in the past there was a tendency to unnecessarily disturb students in the name of visiting the examination centre. However, that culture has now changed. This time too, on the day of the examination, he himself and the concerned officials did not visit the centres and allowed the students to take the examinations without any problems.

Expressing concern about the dropout rate in the education sector, Ehsanul Haque Milon said that a large portion of the approximately 544,000 students admitted to the higher secondary level do not ultimately participate in the HSC examination. According to his information, about 33 percent of students in general education, 54 percent in technical education and 44 percent in madrasa education drop out. 

He called this situation worrying for the country’s education system.

The minister also emphasised the proper utilisation of the funds allocated to the education sector at the event. 

He said that a part of the loans and grants taken in the education sector in the past was not utilised properly. As per the instructions of the current government, no kind of waste or mismanagement will be tolerated in the education sector and proper utilisation of every taka will be ensured.

He further stated that to ensure quality education in the country, utmost importance should be given to the qualification and training of teachers. 

The government has allocated two percent of the GDP to the education sector in the current fiscal year. The goal is to increase this allocation to five percent in the future.

Highlighting his past experience, the education minister said that the current education system seems to be backward in many areas compared to the period from 2001 to 2006. 

He complained that due importance has not been given to the disposal of important appointment-related cases for a long time. He commented that it is regrettable that it has taken so many years to get the verdict on the case related to the appointment of head teachers filed in 2017.

Prime Minister’s Education Adviser Mahdi Amin, State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj, Secretary of the Secondary and Higher Education Division Abdul Khalek and senior officials of the education administration were present at the event.