Protest movement if there is no budget allocation for nationalization of MPO schools 

Private teachers and employees demanded nationalisation of MPO registered educational institutions, and allocation of funds in the forthcoming budget to eliminate discrimination against MPO registered teachers and employees.

"We will go for a movement if there is no allocation for the nationalisation of MPO registered educational institutions in the 2021-2022 fiscal year budget," announced the Bangladesh Private Teachers Employees Forum at a press conference at the National Press Club on Tuesday. 

Citing that teachers are living inhumane lives on meager wages in the age of Covid-19, Abdul Khaleq, secretary general of the Bangladesh Private Teachers Employees Forum, at the press conference, said "Academic activities will be disrupted in the future if there is an outburst of anger from teachers discriminated against."

 Five lakh teachers and employees are hopeful Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will announce the nationalisation of  MPO registered educational institutions, he added. 

Abdul Khaleq urged the government to allocate necessary funds in the budget.

In the written statement, the teachers said, "The incumbent government did not pay due attention to improving the quality of life of MPO registered teachers and staff, though it has made tremendous progress in infrastructure and education in the education sector." 

MPO-registered teachers and staff are given a house rent of Tk1,000, a festival allowance of 25%, and a medical allowance of Tk500, which is very inappropriate and shameful under current market inflation, they added. 

Teachers and other staff should be given a more appropriate house rent, and full festival allowance and medical allowance, Abdul Khaleq said.  

Saidul Hasan Selim, president of the organisation, demanded reopening of all educational institutions in compliance with health rules.

The other demands include keeping the education budget at 6% of GDP and 20% of the national budget in the next fiscal year. They sought the allocation of Tk5 crore to the MPO registered teacher and employee retirement benefits board and welfare trust, and the exclusion of other sectors -- including the science and technology ministry--  from the budget allocation for education. They also wanted the education budget allocation to be spent and disbursed by the education ministry.