Assistant teachers at government primary schools across the country will begin a full-day work abstention from Monday, pressing home their three-point demand, which includes placing entry-level salaries in the 11th pay grade.
The Primary School Assistant Teachers’ Organisation Unity Council made the announcement, confirming that the protest would continue indefinitely until their demands are met.
Sunday marked the final day of their previously declared half-day work abstention. With no substantive response from the government, the teachers are intensifying their protest as previously warned.
The decision was confirmed in a press statement signed by Mohammad Shamsuddin, convener of the unity council and president of the Primary School Assistant Teachers’ Association.
The protests have been gaining momentum since May 5, when teachers began one-hour daily work abstentions. This escalated to two-hour walkouts from 16 to 20 May, followed by half-day abstentions from 21 to 25 May.
The movement has become one of the most organised demonstrations by primary educators in recent years.
The assistant teachers are demanding that their position be placed in the 11th grade of the national pay scale at the time of appointment, through a reasonable revision of the recommendations made by the advisory committee on primary and non-formal education reform.
They are also calling for the resolution of complications regarding eligibility for higher pay grades after 10 and 16 years of service.
In addition, they seek timely and comprehensive promotions to the post of head teacher, with 100 percent of such posts filled through internal advancement.
In response, the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education has proposed a revised salary structure, placing assistant teachers in the 12th grade and head teachers in the 10th.
This proposal is based on the recommendations of an education reform committee led by BRAC University Emeritus Professor Manzoor Ahmed and is aligned with a recent High Court ruling aimed at improving public education services.
However, the protesting teachers have rejected the government’s offer, stating that the 12th grade does not reflect their qualifications, workload, or contributions to foundational education.
They argue that starting in the 11th grade is essential for addressing long-standing professional disparities and for recognising their vital role in the education sector.