Teachers take to streets for better pay, status

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Teachers have taken to the streets to press the demand of higher pays, perks and status under a separate pay structure.
A common demand made the teachers from the primary schools to the public universities vocal.
Teachers of public universities took no classes and examinations in last two days demanding a separate pay structure.
They are demanding senior secretaries’ pay for senior professors.
To press the demand for the restoration of timescales and selection grades, teachers of 307 government colleges announced they would take no classes today.
Teachers of private schools and colleges have been demanding for long pay and perks equal to their colleagues serving government schools and colleges.
Assistant teachers of the government’s secondary schools have also been higher pay and status for themselves.
Headmasters of primary schools have been pressing for the implementation of a decision the government took in March 2014 to place them in a higher grade.
The denial of due pay and status to teachers serving primary schools to the universities was described professor emeritus Searjul Islam Choudhury as ‘unfortunate.’
Proper pay and status for the teachers would inspire meritorious students to come to the teaching profession, he said.
He supported the teachers’ demand for a separate pay structure.
Noakhali Science and Technology University VC M Wahiduzzaman reminded the Awami League-led government of the pledge it made before the 2008 polls that it would ensure proper pay and status for the teachers.
Teachers have been demanding proper pay and status for years, said former education commission member Quazi Faruque Ahmed.
He called it regrettable that the government did not fulfill its commitments to the teachers.
Farid Uddin Ahmed, president of the federation of university teachers expressed disappointment over non fulfillment of their four demands.
Shikkhak-Karmachari Oikya Jote leader Zakir Hossain said their movement would continue until
the government met the demand of inclusion of MPO recipients in the new pay structure.
Convener of the association of headmasters of government primary schools Reaz Pervez demanded immediate implementation of a government decision relating to placing them on higher grade.
Minister of primary and mass education Mostafizur Rahman said that the headmasters would get non-gazetted Class II status.
Education minister Nurul Islam Nahid said that relentless efforts were on to provide proper status to the teachers.
Teachers’ status and dignity don’t depend on increased pay or placing them on higher footing, he said.
Their rightful place in the society was dependent on social awareness, he added.
He said tat the government was working on the issue of separate pay structure for the teachers.
Source: New Age