Non-MPO teachers’ problems remain unresolved

The teachers of non-government educational institutions often hold hunger strikes and demonstrations, but the authorites fail to address the issue. This is neither good for education nor for the teachers. The demonstrating teachers feel the prime minister must intervene with a solution. They have postponed their sit-in demonstration, giving a one-month ultimatum for a meeting with the the prime minister.

There is a lack of trust between the education authorities and the teachers. If such an uncomfortable situation continues for long, the teachers' frustration will grow and this will affect the students and the education sector as a whole.

There is a chaos in the secondary and higher secondary education administration. A number of institutions are government, some are MPO-enlisted while the others are non-MPO and non-registered. But they all follow the same educational curriculum. Though inclusion in MPO depends on development of the infrastructure along with the number of students and results, this has not been followed always. Using political influence, institutions of lower standard have been enrolled in the MPO list while better ones have been left out.

There are about 28,000 educational institutions in the country that are enlisted on the MPO. There are about 500,000 teachers and employees in these institutions. A total of Tk 10 billion is spent for them per month. The are are 5,500 recognised non-MPO institutions. In 2010, a total of 1,624 educational institutions were included in the MPO list. The teachers and employees of non-MPO secondary schools, college, madrasah and vocational educational institutions held demonstrations since then.

On December 2017 and January 2018, they held hunger strikes and assumed other forms of protest. The education minister faced criticism in the cabinet and the report appeared in the media. Following this, the government initiated regulations regarding the issue.

The allegations of corruption over MPO inclusion is so grave that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) had to intervene. Last November, the ACC interrogated three BCS (Bangladesh Civil Service) general education cadre officers at the Shikkha Bhaban for corruption.

We hope a new list of MPO-enlisted educational institutions according to the announced rules will be drafted and publicly declared. The education minister said that verification has already been completed depending on certain determinants.

There should not be any nepotism, political influence or regional discrimination. In 2010, educational institutions that were preferred by powerful ministers and parliament members were allegedly enlisted in the MPO. This means the institutions were enrolled due to political influence rather than qualification. This should not be repeated.

The non-MPO teachers have been holding demonstrations for years. Many of them are at the end of their career. We hope the 'one or two months' taken by the education minister would not be prolonged. The patience of these deprived teachers should not be tested any further. There should be a permanent solution.