Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has directed the authorities to immediately complete the recruitment process for 32,000 vacant head teacher positions in government primary schools across the country.
He issued the directive during a meeting held on Monday afternoon at state guesthouse Jamuna, attended by Primary and Mass Education Ministry Adviser Dr Bidhan Ranjan Roy Poddar, Secretary Abu Taher Md Masud Rana, Principal Secretary to the Chief Adviser Siraj Uddin Mia, and other senior officials.
The meeting focused on the current standard of primary education, school-level performance, and infrastructural development. The chief adviser inquired about evaluations showing which schools are performing well.
Dr Bidhan Ranjan Roy stated, “Although a significant amount has been spent on infrastructural development in primary education, the desired learning outcomes have not been achieved. We have introduced a school-based ranking system, and special programmes are being launched for underperforming schools.”
He further noted that schools with better academic performance generally have efficient head teachers and good interpersonal relationships among staff.
In this context, Yunus instructed that, in addition to promoting eligible candidates to head teacher posts, a new recruitment process must begin immediately.
He said, “Recruitment of head teachers must be based on qualification, experience, and age categories. Those with extensive teaching experience should be prioritised, but opportunities must also be created for younger candidates to take on leadership roles.”
The chief adviser directed the ministry to coordinate with the Public Service Commission (PSC) and promptly publish the recruitment circular.
He also stressed the need to formulate a clear policy for teacher transfers. “Many take up jobs in rural areas only to later lobby for transfers near cities. This disrupts transparency. There must be a defined process for transfers, and it should be strictly followed,” he said.
Muhammad Yunus also urged relevant authorities to ensure school infrastructure is gender-friendly, proposing the inclusion of at least one female architect in every school building committee, saying, “Planning, design, and implementation must prioritise the needs of girls.”
He emphasised expanding internet connectivity and multimedia classrooms in primary schools. “We must ensure the use of technology in primary education. If every school has access to multimedia-based learning, the quality of education will significantly improve,” he added.
The meeting concluded with a decision to present a draft of the head teacher recruitment and transfer policy within one month and to continue performance evaluation of schools nationwide.