Primary Teachers Move Towards ‘Complete Shutdown’ After Continuous Work Abstention

Government primary school assistant teachers are set to enforce a ‘complete shutdown’ from Wednesday (3 December), following their ongoing work abstention and boycott of annual examinations, as part of their three-point demand movement. All government primary schools across the country will fall under this programme, while teachers will also stage sit-ins in front of Upazila or Thana Education Officer (TEO) offices.

On Tuesday (2 December) afternoon, Mohammad Shamsuddin Masud, one of the conveners of the Primary Teachers’ Demand Implementation Council, confirmed the development to the media. He stated that teachers across the country had already been abstaining from work. Many had faced harassment while participating in the movement to realise their demands. Consequently, they were moving towards declaring a complete shutdown of schools. The formal announcement would be made at a virtual meeting at 7 pm.

According to the Directorate of Primary Education, there are currently 65,569 government primary schools in the country. These schools employ more than 384,000 teachers, most of whom are assistant teachers.

Although head teachers now receive salaries under the 10th grade, assistant teachers continue to receive the 13th grade. Protesting this disparity and demanding grade enhancement, they have been demonstrating for a long time. From 8–11 November, while observing a sit-in programme at the Central Shaheed Minar, more than one and a half hundred teachers were injured in a police attack. Although they returned to work following assurances from the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Finance, they resumed work abstention on 27 November due to a lack of progress in fulfilling those promises.

The assistant teachers’ demands include:

• Upgrading their salary to the 10th grade,
• Resolving issues concerning higher grade eligibility after 10 and 16 years of service,
• Ensuring 100% departmental promotion.

However, the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education has not agreed to grant the 10th grade and has instead recommended implementing the 11th grade for the time being. Teachers continue their protest insisting on at least the fulfilment of this promised 11th grade.

Khaborwala/SS