Procrastination Noticeable When It Comes to Pay Teachers

Thousands of private educational institutions in the country are in dire financial straits after a year and a half of coronavirus infection. In many places, the salaries and allowances of teachers and staff have been stopped. Many old educational institutions in the capital are also being paid by breaking the standing fund (FDR). Some institutions have suspended teachers' salaries.

All the educational institutions in the country were closed in March last year after the first Covid-19 patient was identified. Although it was completely closed for a few months, in the beginning, the class education activities started online from June-July.

Most of the non-MPO private educational institutions have not been paid regularly after the spread of the coronavirus infection. Teachers and staff did not get the bonus in any of the two Eids last year. But at this time they had to take regular classes online.

Lecturer Rafat Raihan, speaking on condition of anonymity, said he owed several months' salary. I am still working to recover this money. If this continues, people's respect and esteem for the teaching profession will end.

Salary is closed as the educational institution is closed. So Thomas Howlader, a teacher of Modern Children's School in Moghbazar, is forced to sell potatoes, onions, and garlic in a van. With a family of three, he found no other way to survive in Dhaka.

Mahfuz Chowdhury, a teacher, said, ‘I came to the private sector because I could not get a government job. The most important thing people needed during Coronavirus was money. It is not that the organizations do not have money! Yes, they have. However, they do not pay. Why? Their statement was that the parents did not pay the salary... I quit my job this month. '

Talking to the heads of educational institutions, it was learned that private institutions are mainly dependent on tuition fees. Due to long holidays in educational institutions, there is no classroom teaching and a large number of parents are delaying the payment of regular tuition fees and other fees. This has created a financial crisis in these institutions and salaries and allowances have been stuck.

 On the other hand, the leaders of the Parents Unity Forum, a parent organization, say that the income of lower-middle-class and lower-class parents have been negatively affected during the Coronation period. Because most parents do not work for the government. They are struggling to make ends meet with low income.

It is inhumane to press for regular payment of tuition fees even after the educational institutions have been closed for a year and a half. The government should waive at least 50 percent of tuition fees. Some parents also said that they are not satisfied with the quality of the classes that the teachers of the institution are taking in the name of online classes. So do not pay tuition fees.

According to the analysis, non-MPO teachers and employees of private educational institutions have suffered the most financial losses during the Covid-19 period. Although I spoke to many teachers of these institutions, they were unable to speak using their own and the institution's name for fear of losing their jobs.

In this context, the Minister of Education Dr Dipu Moni said, "Long ago we have asked both the parties to give concessions." Parents need to understand that the cost of private educational institutions depends on tuition fees. How will they survive if not realized? And if there are no teachers, who will teach their children when the crisis is over?

Teacher leader Nekbar Hossain said, "Teachers have to live with dignity, so many teachers do not speak loudly. Do not move down the street for salary. Everyone concerned must understand this. The situation of private teachers is very bad, but everyone is pretending not to see it. '

Not only school-college but also kindergarten teachers and staff have been worried about irregular salaries in the last year. More than 8 lakh teachers of about 60,000 kindergarten schools in the country are in crisis.

Widow Jasmine Parveen is a teacher at Nazifa Bright Model School (Kindergarten School) in Pabna. She said her income from school and private tuition has been completely cut off for the last two months. As a result, she is spending his days in dire straits.

"If the coronavirus situation continues like this, I have to reach out to others to survive," said Jasmine. Besides, I will have no other choice. No one understands our plight. '

In this regard, the Director-General of the Department of Primary Education Alamgir Mohammad Mansurul Alam said, those who open kindergartens also make a good profit. Why can't they pay teachers! We will definitely look into the matter if we receive complaints from registered kindergarten teachers. I will also request the teachers to pay their salaries regularly. '

Professor Md Syed Golam Farooq, Director General of the Department of Secondary and Higher Education said that all the educational institutions have collected regular tuition fees during the time of Coronavirus. Many parents have also complained to us about this. Why teachers' salaries will be kept in arrears by collecting tuition fees?

He said, ‘Owners of educational institutions should not have to think only of profit. Institutions that have treated teachers in such a manner will be investigated and action will be taken.

Monowara Bhuiyan, chairman of the Bangladesh Kindergarten Association, said, "Parents are not paying tuition fees, so we are not able to pay teachers' salaries and rent." We have asked the Prime Minister for an incentive of Tk 500 crore. If the government does not help us, there will be no alternative but to close down many institutions. '

There are 105 private universities in the country. The number of teachers in these institutions is about 30 thousand. Although the big universities pay regular salaries and allowances, the small and medium universities have problems. About 75 teachers of private universities are not getting regular salaries and allowances.

Sheikh Kabir Hossain, president of the Bangladesh Private University Association, said, "Medium and small universities have a lot of problems. This is because students usually pay a fee before the semester exams. But due to Coronavirus, that fee has not been received yet. As a result, many universities have problems in paying the salaries of teachers, officials and employees. Some may have paid half the salary. We sought financial incentives from the government for this. But there has been no response yet.'