Non-MPO schools' MPO inclusion budget-dependent, skill verification proposed for promotions

The Finance Division has sent detailed comments to the Ministry of Education's Secondary and Higher Education Division on the draft manpower structure and MPO policy-2025 for private educational institutions (schools and colleges). The recommendations include significant revisions, additions and deletions to various sections, definitions, conditions and procedures. It also proposes MPO inclusion for non-MPO institutions subject to budget availability, and skill verification for teachers' promotions.

The proposals, signed by Finance Division Deputy Secretary Shihaab Uddin on 27 November, have been forwarded to DSHE for opinion. The ministry is now finalising the revised MPO policy for publication.

When contacted, Secondary and Higher Education Division Deputy Secretary (Private Secondary-3) Syed E J Z Morshed Ali told The Daily Campus: "We sought DSHE's opinion after receiving the proposals from Finance. We are working on them. Since Finance has made the recommendations, they are likely to be finalised accordingly."

Key recommendations from Finance Division

On employment definition

Finance proposes reducing the absence period from one year to 60 days without permission for MPO ineligibility. It says if someone is absent for 60 days without leave, they will be deemed ineligible for MPO, and the post declared vacant for fresh recruitment after the deadline.

MPO approval process

MPO inclusion will require not only meeting policy conditions but also assessing additional budget needs. The institution selection committee will recommend based on financial viability, and MPO will be granted subject to budget allocation. This makes financial capacity a key criterion in the approval process.

Skill verification for promotions

Finance proposes mandatory skill assessment tests for promotions to improve teaching quality.

MPO for honours-masters teachers

The draft retains the proposal to include up to 3,500 teachers in honours-masters departments of private colleges affiliated to National University for MPO. However, institutions must meet student numbers, examinee counts and pass rate conditions.

Department opening criteria

Finance kept the student number benchmarks but flagged inconsistencies between section 6.3 conditions and Annex 'K' for women's colleges. It advises harmonising these before finalisation.

Surplus post merger

The draft proposed merging surplus MPO posts with pattern-based vacancies by seniority. If surpluses remain, non-MPO teachers would be merged. Finance warns this could create complications and recommends deleting sections 9.2 and 9.3.

Minimum pass rate in public exams

Finance suggests 60 per cent minimum pass rate for city corporation areas and 45 per cent for rural ones, arguing uniform standards are unreasonable given educational disparities.

The proposals aim to make the MPO policy more streamlined and fiscally prudent. The ministry is incorporating DSHE's views for the final version.