Irregularities in secondary school teachers’ appointment: TIB

Transparency International Bangladesh (TlB), in a report today, alleged that corruption and irregularities are taking place in appointing secondary school teachers, their transfers, and inclusion in the Monthly Pay Order (MPO) benefits.

The corruption watchdog stated that unauthorised financial transactions between Tk 3.5 lakh and Tk 15 lakh take place for the appointment of a headteacher to a school.

Researcher Taslima Akter presented the report.

"We have seen illegal transactions in teachers' appointments, transfer, and others. We have seen a lack of good governance, transparency, and accountability in the secondary education sector," TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman said at the programme.

Unauthorised financial transactions between Tk 2 lakh and 3 lakh take place in appointing an assistant librarian. Further, transactions Tk 50,000 to 2 lakh are made when an NTRCA-recommended teacher joins a school.

Between Tk 1 lakh and 2 lakh unauthorised transactions take place in transferring a teacher, with middlemen and officials of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) involved in the process.

When a teacher moves to avail MPO benefits, transactions between Tk 5,000 and 2 lakh take place.

The MPO is the government's share in the payroll of non-government educational institutions. Teachers under this scheme get their basic pay and several monthly allowances from the public fund.

Local political leaders, members of the school managing committee and governing body, headteachers, officials of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE), and various middlemen are allegedly involved in the process.