No logic behind pry assistant teachers’ demand for 10th grade: Adviser

Primary and Mass Education Adviser Prof Bidhan Ranjan Roy Podder has said there is no justification for promoting primary school assistant teachers directly from the 13th to the 10th grade.

“Launching a movement at this stage is not reasonable,” he said.

The adviser made the remarks while speaking to journalists after a views-exchange meeting at Khulna District Shilpakala Academy on Saturday morning.

He further said, “Most teachers themselves believe that the demand for 10th-grade pay scale is not logical. Head teachers have been upgraded to the 10th grade, but the number of assistant teachers is much higher, making such a promotion impractical. There is no valid reason to jump from the 13th to the 10th grade in one step. We are working to ensure that they can at least get the 11th grade. At this point, their decision to take to the streets is unjustified.”

Regarding promotions, he said, “The Ministry of Public Administration has stated that the government’s policy is to provide 80% of positions through promotion and keep 20% for new recruitment.”

Earlier in the morning, a views-exchange meeting titled “Role of Stakeholders in Improving the Quality of Primary Education” was held. Officials from the ministry, divisional and district administrations, and education departments attended the session, where teachers received guidance on moral, practical, and co-curricular issues.