Primary Teachers Furious: Class Hours Increased, Holidays Reduced in New 2026 Routine

The government has increased class hours and working time for teachers in government primary schools for the 2026 academic year, sparking strong discontent among educators. In single-shift schools, class duration has been extended by 30 minutes, while in double-shift schools, it has been increased by 15 minutes.

The new routine, issued by the National Academy for Primary Education (NAPE), was reviewed and confirmed through sources. Previously, in 2025, single-shift schools ended classes at 3:30 pm. Now, in 2026, they will end at 4:00 pm — an increase of half an hour. In double-shift schools, classes previously ended at 4:00 pm but will now conclude at 4:15 pm.

Teachers Criticise Top-Down Decision

Md Badrul Alam Mukul, President of the Bangladesh Government Primary School Head Teachers Association, told The Daily Campus: “It would have been better if the routine was prepared after consultation with teachers. Teachers conduct the classes, yet officers make the routine. This is not acceptable. We are the ones teaching, so we should decide how much time is needed for each class based on school-level requirements. But they make the decisions and give no importance to the field-level implementers’ opinions.”

He added: “We believe that when teachers and concerned officials sit together and decide, the outcome is much better. But that is not happening. Increasing working hours does not always mean better teaching. With sincerity and proper teaching techniques, even one and a half hours can be covered effectively in half an hour. Students’ learning does not depend only on time.”

Demand for More Holidays During Ramadan

The Primary Teachers’ Coordination Council — an alliance of 12 primary teachers’ organisations — has demanded two consecutive 15-day holidays in the annual calendar. They argue that without these breaks, teachers will face complications in receiving fatigue and recreation allowances.

In a statement on Tuesday (6 January), the Primary Teachers’ Demand Implementation Council said a recently viral annual leave list — signed by the Director General of the Directorate of Primary Education and Deputy Secretary Roushon Ara Polly of the Primary and Mass Education Ministry — contains inconsistencies.

According to the statement:

• In past years, Fridays and Saturdays were counted as “zero days” in the leave list.
• This year’s list also counts Fridays and Saturdays as zero days in serials 2, 6, 13, 20, 22, and 23.
• However, in serial 8 (8 March to 26 March), two Fridays and two Saturdays have been counted as holidays.
• In serial 28 (20 December to 29 December), the 10-day holiday period also includes Fridays and Saturdays — adding 6 extra days in total.

The council further demanded:

• At least 15 days of holiday during Ramadan, considering it is a holy month for Muslims.
• Fasting teachers face extreme difficulties teaching during Ramadan, while many young students also fast, making it physically challenging.
• Most primary teachers are women, and after school, they must prepare iftar at home — adding to the hardship.

Md Anisur Rahman, President of the Bangladesh Primary Assistant Teachers Society, told The Daily Campus: “This year’s leave list mentions 64 days of holiday. Among them, 8 days are only Fridays and Saturdays (weekly holidays). If we consider 15 days of Ramadan leave, last year those were not counted — only 13 days were given. This year, including Fridays and Saturdays, they have counted 15 days. As a result, teachers will have to wait an extra year for fatigue and recreation allowance, because without 15 consecutive days of leave, the allowance cannot be claimed. According to the new list, the three-year entitlement will stretch to four years. We are discussing this with the concerned authorities.”