Today, October 5, marks World Teachers’ Day, a day solely dedicated to honor the role of teachers when it comes to shaping the society. In Bangladesh, the focus is more on advocating for a change rather than festive celebrations. The theme of this year’s teacher day is, "The Teacher's Voice: A New Social Commitment in Education." It emphasizes the need for increased recognition and support for educators worldwide.
The Ministry of Education is organizing a special event at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka to commemorate the occasion. The chief guest will be Wahiduddin Mahmud(Education advisor), who will be joined by Bidhan Ranjan Roy(Advisor for Primary and Mass Education), SMA Faiz(Chairman of the University Grants Commission), and the Head of the UNESCO Dhaka Office as special guests.
The event will include discussions and the honouring of exemplary teachers.
Meanwhile, teachers across Bangladesh are becoming more and more vocal about their demands for better working conditions and better payment. From university teachers to primary school teacher, almost all of them are concerned about insufficient salaries and limited career advancement opportunities.
Currently, primary school assistant teachers are among the lowest-paid in Asia, earning an equivalent salary of Tk19,000 in the 13th grade, including allowances, while secondary teachers receive Tk27,100 in the 11th grade.
Despite persistent calls for a separate pay scale, progress has been slow. Even though the Awami League, the recently ousted government, promised a special pay scale for teachers in 2008, they were not too keen on fulfilling it. As a result, in the last 16 years the promise was not materialized.
More than 350,000 primary school assistant teachers are categorized as third-class employees in the 13th grade, leading to demands for promotion to the 10th grade. Protests have erupted, with teachers asserting that financial security is crucial for retaining qualified educators.
Bd-pratidin English/Rafid
