PM to announce updated MPO list today

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will announce the new enlistment of non-government educational institutions under the monthly pay order (MPO) today. 

Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni confirmed this to the media at the International Mother Language Institute in the capital's Shegun Bagicha on Tuesday.

Dipu Moni said, "The government made the MPO list as per the 'Manpower Structure and MPO Policy-2018'. None of the institutions, which have eligibility, has been excluded from the list."

"It is a continuous process, so every year we will enlist more eligible institutions," she added.

She said the government will monitor the MPO-listed institutions whether they follow proper standard. Otherwise, their MPO facilities may even get revoked. 

The minister urged the agitating teachers and employees to withdraw their ongoing movement immediately, who have been demonstrating for the inclusion of their institutions in the MPO facilities.

Deputy Education Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury and Senior Secretary to the ministry were also present at the meeting. 
  
Non-MPO teachers postpone movement 

After getting assurance from the education minister, the agitating teachers and employees of non-MPO educational institutions suspended their fast unto death programme. 

Golam Mahmudunnabi Dollar, president of Non-MPO Shikhya Pratishthan Shikhyak Karmachari Federation, said, "A meeting was held with Education Minister Dipu Moni on Tuesday at 9 pm. The minister assured us that a new committee will formed on November 14 for the correction in the MPO policy."

Then the ministry has taken the measures to include other institutions in the new MPO list.

"This is why, we decided to suspend our agitation," said Mahmudunnabi Dollar. 

Under the banner of "Non-MPO Shikhya Pratishthan Shikhyak Karmachari Federation", they started their fast unto death programme for MPO facilities on Monday.

Earlier on Sunday, they met with the education minister and placed their long-cherished demand for MPO facilities.

But the meeting was not fruitful and the teachers started their agitation again.

According to the leaders of the federation, the number of non-MPO educational institutions is 5,242 where around 80,000 teachers are working without any pay, some for more than a decade.

What is MPO Policy?

The MPO is the government's share in the payroll of non-government educational institutions. Under the scheme, the government provides 100 percent basic pays to non-government teachers and some monthly allowances.

To get the non-government educational institutions included in the MPO list, the regulations were developed first in 1995, which was further revised in 2010 and 2013 respectively.
 
The latest and the very recent revision has been made on 14 June 2018 in response to the non-government teachers' threat to go on 'fast unto death strike'. 

According to MPO rules-2018, to get an MPO, educational institutions have to apply first which will be checked, rechecked and evaluated on the basis of the number of students during schools recognition, number of examinees and the number of successfully passed students.

The criteria were co-education institutions or boys' junior high schools must have 200 students in urban and 150 in rural areas; co-education or boys' high schools in urban areas should have 300 students and 200 in rural areas; school and college should have 450 in urban and 320 students in rural areas; higher secondary college in towns in 200 and rural areas 150 students; degree college in towns will have 250 and in villages 200 students; and in each class 60 students in urban and 40 students in rural areas must participate in examinations and out of the 70 percent should pass. 

Four criteria were set for the MPO in new policy. Age of the institutions, number of students, number of participating students in public exam, and ratio of qualifying student in the exama are consists of 100 number.

Besides, five stages were included in the policy.

Following the rules, 6141 institutions applied for the MPO.

The MPO is the government's share in the payroll of the non-government educational institutions. 

Under the scheme, the government gives 100 percent basic salaries to the teachers of non-government schools.

The teachers also get a lump sum amount as other allowances from the MPO.

As per rules, the educational institutions first come under MPO facilities and then the government enlists the teachers in the payroll.

The government has allocated a good amount of money in last 2019-20 budget for new MPO. 

In 2018-19, the government had set aside Tk500 crore, but the fund could not be used because of the election as well as other issues.

Currently, more than four lakh teachers and employees of 26,340 secondary schools, colleges, madrasas and technical institutes are enjoying the benefit.