University teachers, students protest govt move to drop music, PE posts in primary schools

Teachers and students from the music departments of Dhaka University (DU), Jagannath University (JnU), Chittagong University (CU), and Rajshahi University (RU) staged demonstrations today, demanding music and physical education teacher posts in primary schools.

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The protests were held in response to the government's recent decision to withdraw its earlier plan to recruit music and physical education teachers for public primary schools.

At DU, protesters sang the national anthem as part of their programme in front of the Aparajeyo Bangla sculpture around 11:30am.

Azizur Rahman Tuhin, a teacher at DU's Department of Music, said, "Civilisation survives on the foundation of art, literature, and culture. Excluding music from primary education will hinder the overall development of future generations."

Photo: Rakibul Hasan Rakib

At JnU campus, teachers and students formed a human chain at Sculpture Square around 11:00am. They sang protest songs and marched throughout the campus to press their demands.

During the demonstration, Nusrat Chowdhury Zafrin, a student of the 2019–20 session of the Department of Music, said, "We want melodies to resonate in every educational institution. Today's protest is not for any personal gain."

At CU campus, students of the Music and Physical Education departments staged a demonstration around 11:00am at the university's Shaheed Minar.

Photo: Star

They placed a five-point demand before the authorities. The protest concluded with a group musical performance.

On RU campus, Music Department students staged a protest in front of the university's Senate Building around 11:30am. Teachers and students from the Departments of History, Philosophy, and Islamic History and Culture also expressed solidarity and joined the programme.

The protest concluded with songs performed by students as a form of cultural resistance and expression of solidarity.

Photo: Star

According to the Government Primary School Teacher Recruitment Rules 2025, gazette issued on August 28, the posts of music and physical education teachers were initially included. However, a revised circular signed by the Secretary of the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education on Sunday omitted both positions.

Our correspondents from DU, JnU, CU, and RU contributed to this report.