Call to remove discrimination between general, tech education

At a press conference at the National Press Club on Thursday, association President M A Sattar said students under technical education board are to pay more tuition and other fees than that of the students under general education board.

He said a technical college needs Tk 6000 for renewal of its affiliation whereas a general college needs only Tk 1667 for the same purpose.

"We are running our colleges with fewer staffs than necessary," said Sattar adding, "Our mathematics teacher teaches mathematics, physics and even computer science while one and only MLS has to perform the duties of peon as well as security guard during the day and night time."

He said despite government's election pledge to increase the wage by 10 percent, nothing substantial has been done so far in this regard.

Sattar also placed a 12-point demand including provision for separate pay scale, setting up of training institute for teachers, establishing necessary infrastructure and laboratories, and upgrading the syllabuses in technical schools and colleges.

To press home the demands, he also announced a series of programmes.

These include a daylong hunger strike at the Central Shaheed Minar on June 25, staging demonstration on June 26, exchanging views with political leaders and other occupational groups on July 1, countrywide demonstrations on July 12 and laying siege to Technical Education Board office on July 16.

General Secretary Muhammad Ali and other leaders were present at the press conference.

BTCTA is a platform of 18000 teachers from 1200 technical colleges.