Thousand institutes to get MPO before polls

The government will before the next general elections add around 1,000 non-government educational institutes to the ones that enjoy monthly pay order (MPO) from the state coffer.

The education ministry has already started working on the new list as the proposed budget for the new fiscal has made some allocations to this end, two senior officials of the ministry told Prothom Alo on Tuesday.

The educational institutes keen to be in the list will be asked to submit applications and a software is being made to administer the process, they said.

A committee led by an additional secretary has also been drafted to oversee the procedure, the officials added.

Teachers and staff of the institutes that are awarded MPO usually get different government facilities, including 100 per cent basic and other allowances, but non-MPO institutes are not entitled to such facilities.

The process to award MPO to non-government educational institutes was closed for almost eight years.

Secondary and higher education division secretary Sohrab Hossain on Tuesday asked the committee to submit a report on the non-government educational institutes outside the MPO net by the next 15 working days, said the officials.

Speaking to this correspondent, Sohrab Hossain said they can mention the number when they get the allotment from the finance division. It is up to the government to decide, he added.

Teachers and employees of the educational institutions that are outside the MPO net have declared to go for a fast unto death from Thursday (21 June) or 23 June.

There are 7,500 non-MPO educational institutions in the country. Of these, 5,240 have been recognised by the government.