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New MPO policy soon


Published : 21 Jan 2021 10:23 PM | Updated : 22 Jan 2021 01:06 AM

The government is going to publish the new policy in an official gazette immediately to bring the educational institutions under the monthly pay order (MPO).

Some major changes have been made in the draft of the new policy, simplifying the previous MPO policy. 

According to the new policy, several new posts in private schools, colleges and madrasas have been created. However, the number of students in the respective educational institutions must be increased to get the MPO registration.

The Ministry of Education has finalised the draft of the new policy by amending the 2018 MPO policy. 

The ministry will issue the revised policy after the approval of Education Minister, Dr Dipu Moni.

Permission from the Ministry of Finance may be sought in this regard as there are proposals to create several new posts in this year’s policy titled ‘Manpower Structure and MPO Policy-2021 of Private Educational Institutions (Schools and Colleges)’. 

The new policy redefines the experience of private college teachers for the post of principal.

According to the sources at the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education Secondary and Higher Education, although there is little chance of MPO enrollment in the current financial year, applications for new MPO enrollment may start from February-March this year.

 The Education Minister had recently said at a press conference, “I hope the revised policy will be issued soon. After the issuance of the revised policy, the application for MPO registration of the new educational institution will be taken. In the current financial year, it may not be possible to enroll new educational institutions under MPO. But it can be completed in the next financial year.”

She also said, “There were some inconsistencies in the previous MPO policy. We have discussed it several times. Officials have made a draft after several rounds of discussions. Hopefully, inconsistencies in policies and manpower structure will be eliminated.”

In the new policy, some concessions have been given in terms of the pass rate of the educational institution to get MPO registration. However, the number of required students has been increased. 

According to the policy, a college in rural areas must have at least 240 students to get the MPO registration, which was 150 students in the previous policy. 

Talking to some principals of private colleges, this reporter came to know that it would be difficult to find so many students in these educational institutions in rural areas. 

Thus, MPO registration for new educational institutions will be more difficult than before.

In the new policy, the pass rate for higher secondary level has been proposed at least 65 percent in city corporation areas, 55 percent in municipal areas and 50 percent in rural areas. 

In secondary level, the pass rate has been proposed to be 70 percent in city corporation areas, 60 percent in municipal areas and 55 percent in rural areas. 

However, the pass rate in degree colleges in remote areas has been reduced to 45 percent from the previous 70 percent.

According to the revised policy, the higher secondary educational institutions must have 45 students separately in the science, humanities and business studies departments in urban areas and 40 students separately in rural areas.

About the new policy, teacher leader and member of the National Education Policy Formulation Committee (2010) Principal Kazi Faruk Ahmed said, “Various amendments have been made in the MPO enrollment policy at different times. It is not that there has been too much qualitative change in education. The main reason is that we always want an immediate solution to everything. But, it is necessary to be farsighted in formulating education policy.”

He said, “Education policies and plans should be made for at least 20 years and it needs to be re-evaluated every five years.”