The government has moved to initiate the promotion process for more than 36,000 vacant head teacher posts in government primary schools following a Supreme Court verdict that removed legal obstacles to appointments.
Education and Primary and Mass Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon made the announcement at a press conference at the Secretariat on Thursday, saying the ministry would send its requisition to the Public Service Commission (PSC) within the day.
“We have already spoken to the PSC chairman. He has advised us to send the requisition immediately so that the process can be expedited,” the minister said.
The development comes after the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury, allowed the state’s appeal against a High Court ruling that had declared parts of the seniority and promotion rules under the relevant primary school service regulations illegal.
With the verdict, the legal impediment to appointing head teachers in government primary schools has been removed.
The minister said the ministry is also working to address vacancies in secondary and higher education institutions, stressing the need for swift recruitment across all levels of schooling.
Officials said the head teacher post falls under the 10th grade of the national pay scale, and therefore requires processing through the PSC.
Under existing rules, 80 per cent of head teacher posts are filled through promotion of assistant teachers, while 20 per cent are filled through direct recruitment.
According to ministry data, 36,235 head teacher posts are currently vacant. Once these are filled through promotion, more than 38,000 assistant teacher posts will become vacant, including over 2,200 existing vacancies.
The minister said the government would move quickly to fill these posts.
“After completing the promotion of 36,235 head teachers, we will be able to recruit 38,433 assistant teachers. This is good news,” he said.
State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj and Attorney General Ruhul Quddus Kazal also spoke at the briefing.
