Recruitment of 159 ATEOs shrouded with uncertainty
The Bangladesh Public Service Commission (BPSC) published a circular on 26 June 2023 to recruit 159 assistant thana education officers (ATEOs).
ATEOs are recruited under the directorate of primary education which is under the ministry of primary and mass education.
However, the recruitment process has not moved forward due to various reasons including filing several cases in connection with the recruitment.
Meanwhile, the Public Service Commission (PSC) all of a sudden postponed the recruitment of 159 ATEOs on 30 July 2023.
PSC sources said their job is to publish recruitment circulars and conduct exams and select candidates.
They postponed the recruitment as the primary and mass education ministry asked them to postpone it. When the ministry will ask them to start the recruitment process again, they will start.
Government primary school teachers are departmental candidates. If the departmental candidates hold the position of head teacher, they must have a minimum three years' job experience. Assistant teachers must have a minimum 10 years' experience.
Sources at the directorate of primary education said four cases have been filed so far after publication of the circular. In one of these cases, the High Court stayed the recruitment process. The recruitment process cannot be started until the case is disposed of.
An official at the directorate of primary education said upper division assistants who work at the divisional, district and upazila level at the primary education offices have filed a case as they want to become departmental candidates for the posts of ATEO.The High Court gave a stay order in the case.
Upper division assistants demand a quota of departmental candidates as like assistant primary teachers.
Moreover, the new assistant teachers of primary school have also filed a case.
Sources at the directorate of primary education said four cases have been filed so far after publication of the circular. In one of these cases, the High Court stayed the recruitment process. The recruitment process cannot be started until the case is disposed of.
Meanwhile, the applicants have expressed their disappointment as no action has been initiated yet despite the elapse of six months since the suspension of the circular.
On 13 September 2023, the directorate of primary education published the (Employee) Recruitment Rules (2023) in gazette.
According to the gazette, 80 per cent of the posts are reserved for the departmental candidates and the rest 20 per cent is for the open candidates.
Government primary school teachers are departmental candidates. If the departmental candidates hold the position of head teacher, they must have a minimum three years' job experience. Assistant teachers must have a minimum 10 years' experience.
Following the new recruitment rules, teachers with less than two years of experience, who applied for ATEO posts, demanded a refund of the application fee. These candidates have applied with fees and their application will not be accepted as per the new rules.
Speaking to Prothom Alo, assistant teacher Rabiul Alam said, "There is one problem after another as there were no fixed rules before the publication of the circular for these posts."
Primary and mass education ministry secretary Farid Ahmed told Prothom Alo, "The PSC has asked us for a legal opinion about the circular. We have talked to our legal department. As cases have been filed, we are trying to dispose of them quickly. We have already taken an initiative to settle the case. Hopefully it will be resolved soon. We will inform the PSC once the case is settled. After that PSC can start the recruitment process."