Additional class teachers demand permanent jobs

Additional class teachers (ACT) at a human chain yesterday demanded issuance of a gazette from the government to enlist them in Monthly Pay Order (MPO), in order to make their jobs permanent as per the promise of the government officials.

They also said that ACTs will go for a sit-in protest from next week if the government delays to ensure their jobs.

Bangladesh ACT Association organised the human chain in front of Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka.

To enhance the quality of education, the World Bank and government jointly started a project titled “Secondary Education Quality and Access Enhancement Project” (SEQAEP) in 2008.

The 5,200 men and women were recruited as ACTs under the project on a temporary basis, to teach English, math and science subjects at secondary level in 2015, as students' results in these subjects in public examinations were poor. They were teaching along with the regular teachers of the institutions.

The three-year contract with the teachers ended in December last year, and the ACTs are not receiving salaries from the government any more. However, many of the teachers receive a small honorarium from respective institutions since the project ended.

Speaking from the human chain, Koushik Chandra Barman, president of the association, said, “The ACTs have been working without payment for months on the assurance that their jobs will be permanent. Nearly seven months have passed but our jobs are yet to be permanent.”

Mamun Hossain, secretary of the association, said, “ACTs have played a tremendous role in ensuring quality education in rural areas. The government should listen to their urges.”