Some 380 posts of headmaster in government primary schools of Netrokona district have remained vacant for long, giving a dismal picture of the academic activities at the primary level. The district has a total of 1,314 government primary schools.
Academic activities in the government primary schools of the district are being seriously hampered due to crisis of headmasters. Besides, many posts of assistant teacher lie vacant in primary schools, which are already facing lack of infrastructures and other logistics.
Headmaster and assistant teacher shortage has taken a serious turn at the primary schools which have been providing education to about two lakh students of the district. Acting headmasters of these institutions are running the academic and administrative activities.
The headmaster crisis is not only hampering studies but also increasing the cost of education. Apart from the Netrokona district, there are 37,926 vacant posts of headmaster in government primary schools in the country, according to media report.
In this regard, a requisition was sent to the Bangladesh Public Service Commission from the Ministry of Public Administration for the filling vacant post of headmasters. The total number of primary school teachers in the country is 427,000. Among them, 390,000 are in service.
Primary-level students in rural area are facing manifold challenges in continuing their education and shortage of headmasters and teachers is one of the major problems that hampers their regular academic activities. On the other hand, the assistant teachers who were performing the duty of head teacher are not getting the facilities the headmasters usually get and there is no one to look into it, forcing the teachers to continue their additional duty with frustration.
There are 37,926 vacant
posts of
headmaster in
government primary
schools in the country
Besides, many schools are continuing their educational activities with only two teachers. The authorities of the schools are not being able to carry out academic activities due to the crisis. The district primary education officers had sent a letter to the Education Ministry seeking immediate appointment to the vacant posts. But the rate of recruitment is far less than the requirement.
The government has already introduced a fresh national curriculum from this year aimed at raising Bangladeshi children as the global citizens to make them befit for the 4th Industrial Revolution (4RI). Our children should have skills that they can use anywhere in the world. So, the country needs valued and qualified teachers those who do their best to build the students as competent human resources with utmost sincerity, honesty and patriotic zeal.
If the government wants to achieve success in the education sector, the vacant posts of headmaster and assistant teachers must be filled immediately.
We should keep in mind that teachers produce educated and enlightened citizens for building an enlightened society.