Legality of coaching centres challenged

The High Court yesterday questioned the legality of running coaching centres alongside classrooms by the teachers of schools and colleges that enjoy the government's monthly payment order (MPO) facilities.
In a rule, the court ordered the government to explain within four weeks why it should not be directed to stop the teachers working for coaching centres. It also asked the government why it should not be directed to enact a law in this regard.
Secretaries to the Prime Minister's Office, Cabinet Division and ministries of education and law, director general of directorate of education and heads of 14 prominent schools and colleges in Dhaka including Viqarunnisa Noon School and College and Motijheel Ideal School and College, have been made respondents to the rule.
The other institutions are -- Rajuk Uttara Model High School and College, Government Laboratory High School, Ideal School and College, Cambrian School and College, Monipur High School and College, Motijheel Model High School and College, Motijheel Government Boys High School, Motijheel Government Girls High School, Dhanmondi Government High School, Hajrat Shah Ali School, Dhaka College and Eden College.
The bench of Justice Farid Ahmed and Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif issued the rule following a writ petition filed by Ziaul Kabir Dulu, a guardian of a Dhaka Ideal School and College student.
The petitioner said most of the teachers of prominent schools and colleges in Dhaka are involved with coaching centres, which is a key reason behind the degrading quality of education.
During the hearing, petitioner's counsel Asaduzzaman Siddique told the court that hard-up parents of students of those institutions have been facing increased spending, as they too have to send their children to the coaching centres as part of what has now become a tradition.
Asaduzzaman told The Daily Star that the institutions were made respondents in the petition since most of the teachers of those institutions are involved in running coaching businesses outside classrooms.
Deputy Attorney General Motaher Hossain Saju represented the state.
Hailing the High Court's directive, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid told reporters at a briefing at the secretariat, “We have just heard the news. We will take decision after receiving the full copy of the order.”
He, however, said that the education ministry's stance is clear on the matter.
“We want to close down the coaching centres. But, the system prevails as our children are not getting satisfactory education from the schools and colleges,” Nahid added.