Teacher protests cast doubt over annual exams across government schools

The primary education authorities warn that teachers who fail to conduct annual exams could face disciplinary action

Despite warnings from the government, the announcement by government primary and secondary school teachers to continue their work stoppage has sparked uncertainty over the annual exam schedule.

Annual exams for students in government and private secondary schools have already commenced. However, 721 teachers from government secondary schools declared a boycott starting Monday.

Primary school annual exams, also scheduled to begin on Monday, face disruption as a section of the teachers declared that they will not conduct the exams amid their ongoing protests.

Parents’ organisation Obhibhabok Oikyo Forum expressed worries.

Forum president Ziaul Haque Dulu said: “Government secondary school teachers have announced a boycott mid-exam. Meanwhile, some government primary teachers have declared they will not hold annual exams. We are worried.

“Both groups are government employees. Holding students hostage to press their demands is unacceptable. They can negotiate with the government, but parents will never want students to suffer.”

STRIKE BY 721 TEACHERS

The four demands prompting the protests include:

• Inclusion of assistant teachers in the ninth-grade BCS general education cadre, with the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education established and gazetted promptly.
• Appointments, promotions, and postings for teachers in schools and inspection branches across vacant positions.
• Issuance of overdue timescale and selection-grade approvals within three working days, in line with Supreme Court rulings.
• Maintenance of pre-2015 assistant teacher salary benefits, including 2–3 increments and advance pay allowances, with a gazette notification.

Coordinator of government secondary teachers' unity Abdus Salam told bdnews24.com, “The government or directorate officers have not held any discussions with us. Therefore, we will begin the strike on Monday. Annual exams started on Nov 23, but we will boycott from Monday and will not return to classes until our demands are met.”

Top officials of the directorate declined to comment on the matter. A director, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: “The teachers’ demands are under review by the [education ministry], but we do not wish to make any official statements.”

Repeated calls to Md Saidur Rahman, additional secretary of the Ministry of Education’s Government Secondary Branch, went unanswered.

PRIMARY TEACHERS’ MOVEMENT

A section of government primary school teachers also joined the work stoppage.

On Sunday, assistant teachers in several primary schools observed a full-day work stoppage, announcing their intention to boycott the annual tests.

Members of the Primary Teachers’ Demands Implementation Council had been campaigning for several days for three key demands, including a 10th-grade salary upgrade. The strike had been temporarily suspended following assurances from the authorities regarding the 11th-grade pay scale.

Mohammad Shamsuddin Masud, convenor of the council, confirmed the work stoppage to bdnews24.com: “As the finance ministry has not yet issued the 11th-grade notification or made significant progress on the other two demands, we are observing a full-day strike.

“Until all three demands, including the 11th-grade implementation, are met, the full-day strike will continue. The annual examinations will be boycotted from Monday.”

The Directorate of Primary Education has warned that strict action will be taken against teachers if the annual exams are not conducted properly.

A directive issued on Sunday emphasised that the third term (annual) examinations must proceed on schedule without any irregularities or delays, instructing all concerned to ensure smooth execution.