Primary school recruitment: Huge number of headteacher, asst teacher posts vacant

• Total posts of headteachers 65,457

• Vacant posts of headteachers 34,106

• Total posts of assistant headteachers 355,653

• Vacant posts of assistant headteachers 24,536

The teacher shortage in primary education, considered the foundation of the country’s education system, has reached an alarming level. Over 34,000 out of more than 65,000 approved posts for headteachers in government primary schools are currently vacant. In other words, nearly 52 per cent of schools are without a headteacher. Additionally, around 24,500 assistant teacher posts are also vacant.

Meanwhile, in a meeting last Monday, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus directed that the vacant headteacher posts at government primary schools across the country be filled as soon as possible.

He also instructed both the posting of existing candidates and new recruitment for the headteacher positions.

According to data from the Annual Primary School Census (APSC) conducted by the Directorate of Primary Education, there are currently 114,630 primary schools in the country. Of those, 65,567 are government primary schools (some of which do not have sanctioned headteacher posts).

Altogether, around 20 million students are enrolled in primary schools across the country, both government and non-government. Of them, nearly 10 million are in government primary schools.

According to the figures of the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education last week, there are currently 65,457 approved posts for headteachers at government primary schools. Of these, 34,106 posts are vacant. Across the country, there are 355,653 approved posts for assistant teachers, with 24,536 of them currently vacant. Of the vacant headteacher posts, 13,675 are being managed under acting arrangements.

Masud Akhtar Khan, additional secretary (schools) of the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, told Prothom Alo that a group of teachers had filed a case over the headteacher posts. They are working on the issue with utmost importance to resolve it.

He added that the recruitment rules are being amended to include last year’s decision on job quotas. Once that is completed, the recruitment process for assistant teacher posts will begin.

Until now, various quotas, including a 60 per cent quota for women, were in place for the recruitment of assistant teachers in primary schools.

However, last year the government introduced a new quota system for recruitment in government, semi-government, and autonomous institutions.

Under the new rules, 93 per cent of recruitment in all grades will be based on merit, while the remaining 7 per cent will be reserved under quotas. This provision is now being incorporated into the recruitment rules for primary education as well.

A headteacher of a school in Palashbari upazila of Gaibandha told Prothom Alo that headteachers are responsible not only for administrative tasks but also for taking classes. When the position remains vacant, it disrupts both areas of work. As a result, the quality of students’ education begins to decline.

According to the District Primary Education Office, there are 1,313 approved headteacher posts across 10 upazilas in Netrokona. Currently, 714 headteachers are in service, leaving 599 schools without a regular headteacher.

Conversations with acting headteachers of at least 15 government primary schools in Khaliajuri, Kalmakanda, Atpara and Sadar upazilas revealed that, in the absence of headteachers, assistant teachers are having to shoulder dual responsibilities. They struggle to manage administrative duties, alongside regular teaching.

Moreover, acting headteachers often find it difficult to make the right decisions.

Abdul Gafur, acting headteacher of Shaldigha Government Primary School in Netrakona Sadar upazila, told Prothom Alo that his school has 192 students. There are five sanctioned posts for teachers, including the headteacher, but only four teachers are currently in service. The headteacher’s post has been vacant for nearly a year. As a result, he has to handle administrative duties alongside teaching.

A headteacher of a government primary school in Dhaka told Prothom Alo that headteachers serve as both the administrative and academic heads of their schools. They oversee and supervise classroom teaching, act as curriculum specialists, and serve as model teachers.

According to the headteacher they have several other responsibilities. However, due to vacant posts, the administrative work of schools is not properly managed, and quality education is also disrupted.

Currently primary school headteachers fall under the 11th pay grade, and the assistant teachers are in the 13th grade. However, a ruling by the Supreme Court declared that headteachers should be promoted to the 10th grade and granted the status of second-class gazetted officers. Despite the verdict, implementation of the issue remains stalled.

According to government sources and several teachers, only the 45 headteachers who filed the writ petition have received consent from the finance ministry to be granted the upgraded status. This has sparked frustration among thousands of other headteachers.

Muhammad Mahbub Morshed, Associate Professor of the Institute of Education and Research at Dhaka University, and a member of the government’s advisory committee on primary and non-formal education told Prothom Alo, “This is very concerning that a large number of primary schools are running without headteachers and posts of assistant teacher are vacant.”

Research has shown that primary students already struggle to achieve expected learning outcomes and often lack basic competencies. They lag behind in fundamental competency as well. 

He stressed that the leadership of headteachers is essential for managing schools effectively and maintaining educational quality. But more than half the schools in the country currently do not have a headteacher, creating a critical gap in leadership. This must be resolved immediately.

[Prothom Alo’s Netrokona Correspondent provided information for this report]