Government Working to Improve Teachers' Living Standards, Oikyajote Demands Job Nationalisation

The government is working to improve teachers' living standards and advance the education system, Principal Md. Selim Bhuiyan, chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on the Education Ministry and chairman of the Teachers-Employees Oikyajote, has said.

He made the remarks at a press conference organised by the Teachers-Employees Oikyajote at the National Press Club on Tuesday (November 3).

Selim Bhuiyan said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has pledged to improve teachers' fortunes. An allocation of 2 percent of GDP has already been made for the education sector. The government's target is to raise the allocation to 5 percent over the next five years.

He said the present government has allocated 2 percent of GDP to the education sector, breaking all past records. The teaching community is grateful to the prime minister for this. He expressed hope that the government's initiative would play an important role in improving teachers' living standards and raising the quality of education.

He said the prime minister has expressed a commitment to improving teachers' fortunes. In continuation of that, an initiative has been taken to pay private teachers and employees according to the National Pay Scale 2026. A letter has been sent from the Education Ministry to the Finance Ministry seeking an allocation of Tk 3,267.90 crore for this purpose.

Demanding nationalisation of jobs to ensure teachers' financial and job security, Selim Bhuiyan said private MPO-listed teachers and employees carry the responsibility of nearly 97 percent of the country's education. If their jobs are nationalised, positive change will come to the education system alongside an improvement in teachers' living standards.

He also demanded MPO enrolment for the teachers and employees of around three thousand non-MPO educational institutions. At the same time, he called for the quick publication of transfer results for teachers awaiting transfers.

Selim Bhuiyan said MPO-listed teachers and employees currently receive a 50 percent festival allowance and 15 percent house rent. Because of rising commodity prices, it has become difficult for them to live on these benefits. A 100 percent festival allowance and house rent under government rules are needed to improve teachers' living standards.

He also demanded raising the retirement age limit for teachers and employees to 65 years and arranging appointments for certificate holders who passed the 1st to 12th teacher registration examinations.