Non-govt edu instts: HSC mandatory to become president of governing body

The government has set the Higher Secondary Certificate and equivalent degrees as minimum educational qualifications for becoming president of non-government school and college management committees.

In the new regulation, it also said a person cannot be elected president of the governing body of more than two schools or colleges.

The managing committee for a non-government college is called governing body, while for schools, it is called school managing committee.

There are about 35,000 non-government schools and colleges in the country.

Prof Tapan Kumar Sarkar, chairman of Dhaka education board and chief of inter education board coordination committee, yesterday told The Daily Star that the new regulation has been uploaded to the Dhaka education board website.

Setting qualifications for the chairman of governing bodies of educational institutions will help improve quality, he said.

The new regulation says a person will be able to perform duties for highest two consecutive terms, and a committee will be formed for two years.

Government body is in charge of collecting finances for educational institutions, approving the annual budget, asset maintenance, maintaining the fund, and paying teacher and employee salaries.

Currently, recruitment of assistant teachers in non-government education institutions take place in line with recommendation of Non-Government Teachers' Registration and Certification Authority, but managing bodies have the full power to appoint principal, headteacher and assistant head teacher.

The High Court in June 2016 said no lawmaker can become chairman of the governing body of any private educational institution without elections. MPs cannot even nominate anybody for the post.

A lawmaker, however, can become the chairman through election to the governing body, and that too, of a maximum of four educational institutions, ruled the court.