BANGLADESH

The government is going to bring about some changes in eligibility criteria for candidates for the posts of primary school teachers.

"Both male and female candidates for the post of assistant teachers will have to have bachelor degrees, while the qualification for principal will be Masters," state minister for primary and mass education Mohammad Motahar Hossain told on Monday.

The new qualification norms will be effected once the next circular regarding recruitment of government primary teachers is published, he said.

Currently, women who have passed Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination and men who have bachelor's degree can apply for the post of assistant teachers in government primary schools, said director (administration) of the Directorate of Primary Education Abdur Rauf Chowdhury.

Those having bachelor's degree with at least three-year experience as teachers in primary or high school can apply for headmaster's position, he said. "But those who doesn't have any experience, will have to have master's degree," he added.

There are 37,672 government primary schools across the country.

The state minister said only 0.83 percent SSC-passed candidates applied for teachers' posts in the past three recruitment tests. "The rest had bachelor's or master's degrees."

"For less than one percent, the majority can not suffer," Hossain said.

The state minister said the assistant teachers will be paid the scale of other government officials having bachelor's degree.

"The headmasters will be awarded the scale of those having master's degree. Their salary will be almost doubled," he added.

Now, assistant teachers of government primary schools are being paid Tk 5,800 scale and the headmasters Tk 6,500.

"A teacher is considered for promotion as headmaster through tests after s/he completes seven years in service. Besides, they can get appointed as assistant upazila education officers after 12 years of service," he said.

"We'll improve prospects of teachers' promotion," he added.

The state minister said 60 percent posts of headmasters are filled by promoting assistant teachers in government primary schools while the other 40 percent are filled through direct appointments.

The 60 percent quota for women in appointment of teachers of government primary schools will be reduced to 50 percent, Hossain added.