Primary teachers demand promotion to 10th grade

The Primary Teacher Coordination Council has demanded the elevation of primary assistant teachers to the 10th grade and 100 per cent departmental promotions to address discrimination, reports UNB.
The leaders of the organisation highlighted the issues during a press conference at the Jatiya Press Club in the capital on Friday, said a press release.
In a written statement, Shahinur Akhtar, President of the National Primary Assistant Teachers Foundation, noted that the last national pay scale was announced in 2015, during which primary teachers continued to face discrimination. Over the past decade, rising costs of living have left primary teachers struggling to cope with market prices. Promises of salary increases made during the tenure of previous authoritarian governments have yet to be realised.
She stated that the 2015 pay scale established 20 grades, with the maximum salary difference between the 20th and 11th grades set at Tk 800.
However, the gap between the 10th and 1st grades has been set at up to Tk 12,000, resulting in no improvement in the living standards of 13th-grade assistant teachers and 11th-grade head teachers.
Shahinur Akhtar added that promotions to head teacher positions, which have been stalled since 2009, have yet to see any progress. Many primary teachers are retiring in the same position they joined. Additionally, promotions for head teachers have been blocked as well.
The statement further mentioned that the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education has proposed 12th-grade designation for assistant teachers, 11th-grade for assistant head teachers, and 10th-grade for head teachers to alleviate disparities.
The Council has rejected this proposal, insisting on the demand for 10th grade and cent per cent departmental promotions from the entry-level position.
The following programmes which were announced to realise their demands are : A human chain and submission of a memorandum to the Chief Adviser (CA) through the District Commissioner's office on October 3. A human chain at key locations in divisional cities and submission of a memorandum to the Chief Advisor through the Divisional Commissioner on October 8. If no necessary actions are taken by October 17, a human chain at the Jatiya Press Club and submission of a memorandum to the CA on October 19, along with additional announcements regarding future programmes.