High Court orders appointment of 2,500 assistant teachers in govt primary schools from 'pool'

The High Court has ordered appointment of assistant teachers in government primary schools from a 'pool' formed in 2012.

The petitioners' lawyers said around 2,500 candidates have now got the opportunity to get recruited following the order on Wednesday.

The court heard 72 writ petitions filed by the candidates who passed the exam held following a notice published in 2011.

It also ordered that no-one else be appointed before their recruitment is done.

The Directorate of Primary Education issued the notice for the appointment on Aug 4, 2011.

A total of 27,720 candidates passed the written test and viva.

Of them, 12,701 were appointed to the vacant posts. The rest 15,019 was kept in the 'pool'.

The primary education ministry then issued a circular to form a 'teachers' pool' in 2012 and made a 'pool guideline' two years later.

It took signatures of the candidates on judicial stamps to appoint them for six months following the guideline.

The directorate issued another notice for recruitment test again on Sep 14, 2014, without permanently appointing the teachers from the 'pool'.

Fifty-two candidates filed a writ petition that year challenging the new notice which the High Court later stayed.

The candidates filed 71 petitions later and the final order on these petitions were issued on Wednesday.

Assistant Attorney General Abu Saleh Mohammad Fazle Rabbi Khan said the State was preparing an appeal against the High Court order.