Teachers demand change in proposed education act

Two teacher organisations on Friday demanded cancellation of some provisions proposed in the draft education act terming them anti-teacher and anti-education.
Bangladesh Govt Secondary Assistant Teachers Association at a press conference at the National Press Club and Bangladesh College University Teachers Association in its central committee meeting made the demand.
Former Dhaka University vice-chancellor Maniruzzaman Miah at the press conference said that the government should not frame any law which would be a humiliation for the teachers.
Dhaka University English department professor Sadrul Amin, history professor Syed Anwar Husain and Bangladesh Govt Secondary Assistant Teachers Association president Mofajjal Hossain also spoke at the press conference.
The teacher leaders said that many provisions proposed in the draft law were actually harsh to the teachers as those recommended cancellation of monthly pay order facilities for the teachers.
The draft law has proposed a number of provisions, including jailing and fining teachers, which are humiliating for the teachers, they said.
Bangladesh College University Teachers Association also demanded that some provisions proposed in the draft law be scrapped.
The draft of the first-ever education act provisions for penalty for all types of educational institutions — Bangla and English mediums, kindergartens, and madrasas — offering nursery, primary and secondary course for having no government approval and registration with relevant authorities.
The draft Education Act 2013 was put on the website on August 8 soliciting public opinions.