College teachers get the cadre status after passing the BCS examination. But because of nationalization process of many non-government colleges, teachers of those newly nationalized colleges are being included under cadre service. It has agitated the education cadres and they demand to scrape the inclusion of teachers of the newly nationalized colleges under cadre service.
On the other hand, teachers under nationalized colleges demand that they must be included under cadre service according to the previous tradition.
The Ministry of Education is in tension now to find suitable solutions to this problem.
Newly 283 colleges were nationalized in the April of this year. Since 1978, in addition to these colleges, more than two hundred colleges have been nationalized. Since then, the nationalized college teachers got the cadre status.
According to the BCS General Association, there are more than 15 thousand cadre teachers currently in the country. As 283 colleges are nationalized newly, around 18 thousand teachers are going to be included under cadre service.
IK Salim Ullah Khandaker, BCS General Education Association president, told the Bangla Tribune, ‘We don’t have any problem regarding the nationalization of the colleges. But our demand is that the teachers of the newly nationalized colleges must be kept under non-cadre service. Even we don’t have any problem if they get the same salary or facilities like us. We demand that they must not be transferred from their current workplace and promotion process must be changed.’
According to the statement of the president of the organization, ‘Getting the cadre status through qualifying the BCS exam and getting through the process of nationalization of the college’s is not the same thing. This inclusion process has harmed the discipline among the teachers and insulted the status of the cadres. Many times we have expressed our concern to the government. But as our demands are not taken seriously, we are forced to start the movement.’
BCS General Education Association has said that they will stop taking classes if their demands are not fulfilled.
On the other hand teachers under nationalization process said that in the Absorption Rules 2000 teachers are included under cadre service on the basis of experiences and qualifications. Their experience is not less valuable than the education cadres. And as their law and rules are in support of them, they will take legal steps to tackle the situation.
Nationalized College Teachers Association President Jahurul Islam said, ‘Nationalization process of the colleges started in 1978. All the people have been appointed as cadres till now. We will take legal action if this rule is been violated.’
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education has under pressure because of the counter programs and threats of the teachers. To find a solution, a committee has been formed making Dr. Aruna Biswas, Additional Secretary of the ministry head of the committee. Professor SM Wahiduzzaman and other officials of education ministry are members of this committee.
According to the ministry sources, the committee is working keeping four alternative ways as the possible solution. The inclusion of the teachers under cadre service, keeping the teachers under non-cadre service, inclusion under cadre service without giving the facilities or keeping them under non-cadre status with the full facilities of cadre service are the possible ways.
Sources said that last way that means keeping the teachers under non-cadre service with the full facilities of cadre service will be the possible proposal. However, the policymakers will finalize the decision among these possible solutions.
However, sources confirmed that the instruction of the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to nationalize the colleges will be followed properly.
SM Wahiduzzaman said, ‘Very few colleges were nationalized before. The teachers have been taken under cadre service following the tradition. But as a huge number of colleges have been nationalized in the recent time, now it is necessary to think alternative on this issue.’
