Assistant teachers of government primary schools are set to hold a rally and sit-in programme in the city’s Central Shaheed Minar on Saturday, pressing their three-point demand including salary and benefits under the 10th pay grade.
Teachers from different upazilas have already started travelling to Dhaka to join the programme.
Bangladesh Primary Teachers Association General Secretary Khairun Nahar Lipi confirmed the matter to TIMES of Bangladesh on Friday.
She added, “The ministry had announced that assistant teachers would receive salaries under the 11th grade, but the decision has not been implemented.
“Assistant teachers are still being paid under the 13th grade, making it difficult to maintain a decent livelihood and putting their social dignity at stake. For this reason, the teachers are holding a peaceful sit-in to press their three-point demand.”
Multiple organisations of government primary assistant teachers have jointly called the programme under a platform named “Prathomik Shikkhok Dabi Bastobayon Parishad.”
According to sources at the Directorate of Primary Education, the job grade of government primary school head teachers has already been upgraded from 11th to 10th grade.
A proposal to upgrade assistant teachers from 13th to 11th grade has been sent to the Education Ministry, and the issue has been discussed at the pay commission. The matter is currently under process.
Teachers involved in the movement said assistant teachers have been demonstrating for a long-time demanding grade elevation. The ministry had initially proposed placing them in the 12th grade, but teachers rejected the offer.
Later, following continuous protests, the ministry announced an upgrade to the 11th grade, but the decision remains unimplemented even after more than two months.
The teachers also said they are now demanding the 10th grade to put pressure on the government to issue the 11th grade gazette quickly. They said they will return to classrooms once the 11th grade circular is officially published.
