Non-govt high school, college teachers warn of agitation

Shikkhak Karmachari Oikya Jote holds rally in front of the Fine Arts Institute near Shahbagh intersection in the city yesterday as police obstructed them with barbed wire fence. PHOTO: STAR

"Around 98 per cent of total secondary and higher secondary education depends on the non-government schools and colleges, but teachers and employees of these schools and colleges receive only 15 per cent of the professional facilities," said Prof M Shariful Islam, president of the Shikkhak Karmachari Oikya Jote, a platform of non-government teachers and employees, at a rally at the Teacher Student Centre (TSC) on the Dhaka University campus yesterday.

Jote Secretary General Muhammad Jahangir Khan said that they have placed the six-point education agenda for removing all kinds of discrimination in the education sector and improving the quality of education.

They also issued an ultimatum to the government saying that they will observe a sit-in programme in the capital on July 4, if their demands are not met by June 30.

Their demands also include house rent, festival allowance, increment, health allowance and other facilities.

Bangladesh Principal Parishad President Prof Majharul Hannan, Bangladesh Teachers Association Secretary General Alhaj Nazrul Islam, Bangladesh College Teachers Association President Prof Ishak Hossain, Jatiya Teachers Association Federation Treasurer Harun-ur-Rahid, Bangladesh Teachers Association President Prof Rafika Afroj and Bangladesh Shikkha Protisthan Karmachari Union President AKM Anisul Haq addressed the rally among others.

Following the rally, several hundred teachers and employees brought out a procession and marched towards the Jatiya Sangsad but police obstructed them with barbed wire fence in front of the Fine Arts Institute near Shahbagh intersection, where they immediately held another rally.

Later, an 11-member team led by Prof M Shariful Islam went to parliament to submit the memorandum to the Speaker and the legislators.