Services of non-government teachers

The extension of the services of English teachers is quite justified and none should object if their services are extended even up to the age of 70, if the incumbents are otherwise fit to discharge their functions satisfactorily, but limiting the other subjects to three particular disciplines has got much to be critically analysed. Physics, chemistry and mathematics are not the only subjects taught in the non-government educational institutions. There are a good number of other subjects taught as compulsory and optional subjects in all the non-government institutions. Next to English, the positions of all other subjects are more or less same. Physically sound and academically successful teachers of all subjects deserve equal treatment by the government regarding extension of service. In the public universities, like Dhaka, Chittagong and Rajshahi, the extension of services has always been a matter of routine work. No teacher of any public university has been seen to retire until the age of 65 years.

As regards government teachers, the authorities have discretion to extend services of any teacher of any subject on fulfilment of conditions as laid down in the service regulations .

Under the circumstances, it will be an injustice to other teachers if the extension is made applicable to only four subjects-- English, physics, chemistry and mathematics. It should be mentioned here that physics, chemistry and maths are not compulsory subjects for all students of schools, colleges and madrassahs. As such, there is no strong ground to give special emphasis on these subjects at the diminution of other subjects. We cannot presume that graduates and masters are in abundant supply in the market to take up the missionary job of teaching as a profession. This necessitates the extension of services of all capable teachers, irrespective of subjects they teach. There is dearth of experienced and qualified teachers. It is, therefore, not justifiable to make any discrimination amongst the subjects taught in schools, colleges and madrassahs.

For kind consideration of the Ministry of Education, I would like to offer the following suggestions . (1) Extend the services of English teachers up to the age of 70, if they are physically fit and considered by the managing committee worthy of retention in view of their past satisfactory performance .They should be given salary subsidy up to the age of 70 years. (2) Allow extension up to 65 years to all other subject teachers without any discrimination . They should be allowed salary subsidy by the government up to the age of 65 years and the managing committee of an institution shall be given the discretion to retain them even after 65 years of age, if they are found physically sound and capable of rendering satisfactory service to the institutions. Their financial burden shall be borne by the institutions themselves. It should be noted here that the teachers who have graduated and mastered in a subject twenty years back are far better than those who have been recently produced by our education boards and universities.