Demand to Cancel 2169 Head Teacher Recruitment Notification

The Bangladesh Primary Teachers’ Association has demanded the cancellation of the recent recruitment notification for 2,169 head teacher positions in government primary schools, labeling it as "illegal" and contrary to the interests of teachers. In a press release issued on Thursday, September 4, the association’s central general secretary, Khayrun Nahar Lipi, reiterated their long-standing demand for 100% promotion to head teacher positions from among assistant teachers.

The statement emphasized, “Assistant teachers in Bangladesh’s government primary schools have been demanding 100% promotion to head teacher positions for years. However, the Public Service Commission (PSC) has recently issued an illegal and anti-teacher notification, which disregards the teachers’ legitimate demands and undermines their interests.” The association further declared that no recruitment process other than full promotion is acceptable, demanding the immediate withdrawal of the PSC’s notification. They stated, “The Bangladesh Primary Teachers’ Association (Central Committee) will not tolerate any tampering with the rights of primary teachers.”

In support of their demands, the association has announced a human chain and memorandum submission program at 3 PM on September 4 at the PSC office in Agargaon and the Secretariat premises.

The controversial notification, issued by the PSC on August 31, announced recruitment for 2,169 head teacher positions. According to the notification, trained candidates will be appointed at the 11th grade, while untrained candidates will be placed at the 12th grade, as per the National Pay Scale 2015. Eligibility criteria include a second-class bachelor’s degree or equivalent with a minimum CGPA from a recognized university, with no third-class or equivalent CGPA acceptable at any academic level.

The recruitment process involves a 100-mark examination, with 90 marks allocated to a written test covering Bangla, English, Mathematics, Everyday Science, and General Knowledge (Bangladesh and international affairs). A minimum of 50% is required to pass the written exam. An additional 10 marks are assigned to an oral examination, with only candidates passing the written test qualifying for the oral round.

The teachers’ association argues that the direct recruitment process bypasses the promotion rights of existing assistant teachers, prompting their call for the notification’s cancellation and a focus on internal promotions to fill the vacant head teacher positions.