Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia yesterday an.-nounced a bloc allocation of Tk 30 crore for instituting a trust fund to provide gratuity to retiring non-government teachers, reports UNB.

"I am very glad to make the announcement as the teachers of non government schools, colleges and mad-rassahs henceforth will get retirement benefit." she told the teachers assembled in the Osmany Memorial Hall yesterday evening on the occasion of the World Teachers Day. observed for the first time in Bangladesh

Begum Zia said a trust fund for non-government teachers would be set up

soon with the money and the government was Jqnnulajtag _ I necessary law providing for I the retirement benefit. The government is also amending the Non-government Tea-chers-employees Welfare Trust Act.

Meantime, the government has enhanced its grants to 80 per cent for non-government teachers' salaries. It has also made the salary raise effective for more than four and a half thousand new nongovernment schools in the country.

"My government has also taken steps to provide timescale to the non-government teachers." she told the gathering.

Besides, the government is filling up the vacant posts in nationalised educational institutions and has expanded the teachers' training programme for the improvement of their professional skills.

Begum Zia said flourishing science-knowledge is one of the important factors for sustaining in the high-tech era ! and called for expediting the human resource development process to live in the world with dignity and prosperity.

To ensure more fruitful role of teachers in the education sector, Begum Zia said, the government is reforming academic curriculum, developing educational management. improving the examination system, introducing computer, expanding technical and agricultural education.