Rajib Sujan, Patuakhali: Despite warnings from the government, the teachers of Patuakhali Government Jubilee High School and Patuakhali Government Girls’ High School are continuing their strike program under the banner of ‘Bangladesh Government Secondary School Teachers’ Association-Basmashis’ with four-point demands, resulting in the annual examinations not being held today. The students of those schools and their guardians are suffering due to this.
Students of these institutions said, we came to take the exam with full preparation. But yesterday and today we have to return without taking the exam.
Parents say, our children have to return without taking the exam. They used to protest at other times, why should they do it during the exam? We bring our children after leaving work, we will take them again after the exam. But they could not take the exam. This is disrupting the education of our children.
However, the head teachers of these institutions say that despite all the preparations, they are unable to take the exams. Despite repeated requests, the teachers who are on strike are not listening to them.
They say that they have informed the higher authorities about everything.
Meanwhile, the teachers on strike are demanding, ‘Include the post of assistant teacher in the BCS (General Education) cadre and publish a gazette. Implement quick recruitment, promotion and posting to vacant posts in schools and inspection branches. Grant outstanding time scales and selection grades in light of the Supreme Court verdict. Retain the advance increased salary benefits of assistant teachers with two to three increments as before 2015.’ They will call off the strike if the demands are accepted.
In this regard, Patuakhali District Education Officer Mohammad Mojibur Rahman said, ‘Only two institutions in Patuakhali district are observing a strike. On the instructions of Additional Deputy Commissioner (Education and ICT) Mohsin Uddin Sir, I have spoken to the headmasters of both institutions. They said that the teachers observing the strike are not following their orders. I have sought a written reply on this matter. Once I get the reply, I will send it to the Additional Deputy Commissioner Sir. I hope Sir will take further action.’
Incidentally, secondary school teachers protesting under the banner of ‘Bangladesh Government Secondary School Teachers’ Association-Basmashis’ for four-point demands announced the start of the strike from Monday after holding sit-in programs at the ‘Shiksha Bhaban’ premises in the capital on Thursday and Sunday.