Annual examinations for more than ten million students of government primary schools in Bangladesh have become uncertain as assistant teachers continue their full-day work stoppage. From Tuesday, a section of assistant teachers began an indefinite strike demanding three key issues, including appointment at the 11th pay grade at the start of service. As a result, regular academic activities at primary schools have once again come to a halt.
The Primary Assistant Teachers’ Unity Council announced that the strike would continue until tomorrow. The organisation warned that if their demands are not met, they will boycott the annual examinations and begin an indefinite hunger strike from 11 December. At the same time, another platform—the Primary Teachers’ Demand Realisation Council, comprising four organisations—has declared a full-day strike from 30 November if their three-point demand, including the 10th grade, is not implemented by 29 November.
However, the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education has made it clear that upgrading assistant teachers directly from the 13th to the 10th pay grade is not feasible. This stance has created fresh uncertainty over the annual examinations scheduled to begin on 8 December in 65,569 primary schools across the country.
Government primary education in Bangladesh largely depends on assistant teachers. Out of 384,981 teachers nationwide, around 35,000 are head teachers, while the rest are assistant teachers. At the primary level, there are 19.7 million students, of whom nearly 11 million study in government primary schools.
According to official estimates, upgrading assistant teachers to the 10th grade would cost the government an additional Tk 25 billion annually, while upgrading them to the 11th grade would require around Tk 8.31 billion. The presence of about 66,000 SSC and HSC-qualified teachers currently in service has become a major obstacle to implementing the 10th grade. The ministry estimates that it will take another ten years for all such teachers to retire.
Teachers’ organisations have also demanded medical treatment for those injured during a police crackdown on 8 November, compensation and full pension for the family of deceased teacher Fatema Akhter, and permanent solutions to promotion-related complications. Leaders stated that they would remain present at schools but would not conduct classes or examinations until their demands are met.
GLIVE/TSN