The Bangladesh Assistant Upazila Education Officers Association has issued a 10-day ultimatum to take steps regarding the upgrading of the Upazila Assistant Primary Education Officer (UAPEO) post from Grade 10 to Grade 9. They have warned of announcing strict programmes if no action is taken on this matter by 5 December.
On Monday, Upazila Assistant Primary Education Officers held a sit-in programme in front of the Directorate of Primary Education in Mirpur, Dhaka, demanding an increase in their job grade. They have been petitioning for this demand for a long time.
Essentially, after 1994, assistant teachers of primary schools were upgraded from Grade 18 to Grade 11, and head teachers were upgraded from Grade 17 to Grade 10. The grade for the District Education Officer and PTI Superintendent posts has been increased from Grade 9 to Grade 6.
The PTI Instructor post has been upgraded from Third Class to First Class or Grade 9. However, in 1994, the grade for Upazila Assistant Education Officers was also Grade 10, and it remains the same today. Therefore, for them, the issue of job grade increase is less about financial gain and more about enhancing social status.
The officers said that primary school head teachers are being promoted to Grade 10 and assistant teachers to Grade 11. However, their administrative supervision, monitoring, ACR provision, and leave approval are handled by the Upazila Assistant Education Officers. For this reason, it is necessary to upgrade the Assistant Upazila Education Officer post to Grade 9 to maintain administrative discipline.
They further informed that currently, 1,727 Assistant Upazila Education Officers are employed. Among them, 1,460 officers have already received higher grades, time scales, and selection grades and are currently receiving the salary and benefits of Grade 7, 8, or 9.
Therefore, if the Upazila Assistant Education Officer post is upgraded to Grade 9, additional funds will only be required for 267 officers. This will incur a maximum additional cost of TK40 lakh to Tk42 lakh. It will not put any pressure on the government.
Approximately fifty officers, including the organisation’s convener Muhammad Milon Mia and member secretary Al Amin Howladar, were present at the sit-in programme.
