PM prioritises teachers’ welfare, education reform: Mahdi Amin

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has a multifaceted plan to enhance teachers’ social status and professional welfare and bring comprehensive improvements to the country’s education system, said Prime Minister’s Adviser Mahdi Amin.

Speaking at an event in the capital on Monday, he outlined the government’s ongoing and timely initiatives to protect teachers’ dignity, empower them and improve their professional welfare.

The adviser said teachers had gathered to observe the day in a democratic state system after a long time.

He said a large number of teachers had played courageous roles in the Liberation War, the anti-autocracy movement of the 1990s, the anti-fascist struggle and the July mass uprising.

Describing the prime minister as deeply committed to education, Mahdi Amin said Tarique Rahman had long worked to advance educational initiatives through the Ziaur Rahman Foundation and Suravi on a personal basis, beyond his roles in running the state and the party.

He said the prime minister’s longstanding pro-education outlook had been reflected in the government’s policies, as evidenced by what he described as an unprecedented education-friendly budget in the country’s history.

Recalling several landmark reforms in the education sector, he said the previous BNP government had established the National University and the Bangladesh Open University, enacted the Private University Act, and nationalised the largest number of educational institutions at different levels.

He said the BNP government had also introduced MPO facilities to protect the rights of non-government teachers, established the Non-Government Teachers’ Registration and Certification Authority (NTRCA) to ensure transparency in teacher recruitment, and initiated the formation of the Teachers Welfare Trust and the Retirement Benefit Board.

Referring to the economic crisis inherited from the previous government, Mahdi Amin said the prime minister had given the highest priority to protecting teachers’ interests despite inheriting a fragile economic structure after 16 years of what he described as fascist rule.

He said funds for teachers’ retirement and welfare benefits had remained unpaid for years due to corruption and looting under the previous government. Within six months of taking office, the current prime minister had secured an initial allocation of Tk2,000 crore to clear the arrears and pay teachers their legitimate dues, he added.

On enhancing teachers’ recognition, the spokesperson said only 12 teachers had previously received awards each year at national events.

“When the prime minister learned that only 12 teachers were being recognised from among such a large number of educators, he immediately ordered a change,” he said.

Following the prime minister’s directive, more than 100 distinguished teachers from primary to higher education levels would receive national recognition for the first time this year, he added.

Announcing measures to improve professional standards, Mahdi Amin said work was progressing rapidly on a specific “Standardised Teaching Manual” to provide teachers with modern and up-to-date training at the prime minister’s initiative.

At the same time, the government was set to introduce the “One Teacher, One Tab” programme as a forward-looking initiative, which had already received widespread appreciation at home and abroad, he said.

On modernising the education system, Mahdi Amin said new and modern subjects were being incorporated under the prime minister’s forward-looking education roadmap.

These included third-language learning, “Learning with Happiness”, technical education, sports and culture.

The inclusion of the new curriculum and subjects would create substantial employment opportunities for teachers in different fields while also helping them further develop their professional skills, he added.