Govt Plans Recruitment of Over 100,000 Teachers

Education and Primary and Mass Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon on Thursday announced plans to recruit more than 100,000 teachers, including 32,500 head teachers for government primary schools and nearly 70,000 teachers and lecturers for private MPO-listed educational institutions.

He made the announcement while addressing a programme titled GPE System Transformation Grant (STG) and Multiplier Grant in Bangladesh, organised by UNESCO at the InterContinental Dhaka.

The minister said the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court had accepted the government’s appeal over the recruitment of 32,500 primary school head teachers, clearing the way for their appointment.

“We can now appoint 32,500 head teachers in government primary schools,” he said.

Milon said the recruitment of nearly 70,000 teachers and lecturers for MPO-listed institutions would also move forward, calling it a major step for strengthening the country’s education sector.

Referring to the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations that began on Thursday, he noted a change in the longstanding practice of ministers visiting examination centres.

“Our colleagues apparently believe there is no need for us to visit examination centres. That is why we are all here today. This marks a significant change from the past,” he said.

Highlighting the dropout rate at the higher secondary level, the minister said around 544,000 enrolled students were not sitting for the HSC examinations this year.

According to him, the dropout rate stands at nearly 33 percent in the general stream, 54 percent in technical education and 44 percent in madrasa education, which he described as alarming.

He also warned that misuse or wastage of funds allocated to the education sector would not be tolerated.

Recalling his previous tenure as a state minister in 2001, Milon said substantial loans and grants had been secured for education in the past, but many of those resources were not utilised properly.

Stressing the need for quality education, he said the government should act as a facilitator, while educational institutions, teachers and students must remain at the centre of the education system.

Prime Minister’s Education Adviser Mahdi Amin, State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Boby Hajjaj, and Secondary and Higher Education Division Secretary Abdul Khalek, among others, attended the programme.