Yunus orders swift recruitment to fill head teacher vacancies at primary schools

“In the recruitment of head teachers, priority must be given to selecting competent and experienced individuals," he says

Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus has ordered the immediate appointment of head teachers to fill vacant positions in government primary schools across the country.

He issued the directive on Monday during a meeting at the State Guest House Jamuna.

In the meeting, the chief advisor asked about the quality of education in government primary schools and sought an assessment of which schools are performing well.

Bidhan Ranjan Roy Podder, advisor of the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, said: “A lot has been spent on infrastructure development in the primary education sector. However, the main objective is to improve the quality of education and that has not yet been achieved. We are evaluating schools and ranking them. For schools where children are lagging behind, we are launching special programmes.”

He also noted that evaluations revealed schools with higher standards typically have well-qualified head teachers who maintain strong working relationships with their colleagues.

Bidhan informed the chief advisor that there are currently 32,000 vacant head teacher positions in the country’s primary schools, and that efforts are already underway to address the issue swiftly.

Along with ordering postings to vacant head teacher positions, Yunus also called for new appointments to be made.

“In the recruitment of head teachers, priority must be given to selecting competent individuals. Different categories should be created. Those with many years of teaching experience should be prioritised, but opportunities should also be given to younger candidates. This recruitment process must be carried out transparently and properly,” he said.

He instructed relevant authorities to coordinate with the Public Service Commission (PSC) and issue a recruitment notice promptly to complete the head teacher appointment process.

The chief advisor also directed officials to revise the transfer policy for teachers.

“Often, teachers are appointed to one Upazila and later try to get transferred to another, usually closer to urban centres. They seek recommendations and lobby various offices. There must be a clear policy and process in place, and transfers should only be possible through that process.”

Yunus also asked about special provisions for girls in schools and whether school infrastructure was gender-friendly.

“When constructing school buildings, there must be at least one female architect on the planning committee to ensure a gender-friendly design. Girls’ needs must be given special importance in planning, thinking, and implementation.”

He stressed the importance of gradually equipping all government primary schools with internet connectivity and multimedia classrooms.