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OPINION

Govt college teachers: Duties and justice

MASUM BILLAH
AS a regular reader of newspapers i have gone through the lengthy, thought provoking and valuable writing of an unknown assistant professor of a government college under the heading ' government college teachers seek justice' which appeared in an English newspaper late last month. As i used to be in the profession of teaching and still i am working in this sector in BRAC which deals with the expansion, improvement and problems of teaching, any issue related to teaching titillates me to focus some light on this phenomenon.
Education boasts to be the largest cadre in the civil service with 12,000 teachers. Again it is true that it is the neglected among all the twenty-nine cadres. We have miserably failed to understand that proper teaching, tutoring and education hold the solutions hundreds of problems of the country. Proper education makes our future generation morally elevated. When it is ensured the nation can expect
better and honest service from them. if we can create congenial atmosphere in our educational institutions students would be attracted to come to the class remaining away from unsociable and illegal activities which will contribute to establishing a peaceful society. Better and well planned education and examination system can be the good indicator for entering into the next tier of education.
Still anomalies lie in the government colleges in respect of giving selection grade, promotion, distribution of classes and number of teachers compared to the number of students. The problems of teachers must be communicated to the higher or highest authorities through the teachers' association. Presently there are two teachers' associations namely the BCS General Education Association and the Bangladesh Civil Service Education Association. The writer wants to say that the first one is no party and the second one also does not represent real teachers organisation. in fact many associations are formed in our
country but they hardly represent those for whom they are formed. Teachers' Associations must be formed with real teachers with leadership qualities. Only leaders or only teachers will hardly represent teachers' community. Teachers should elect and select that kind of teachers irrespective of their political colours.
I used to serve in Bangladesh Cadet College. The nature of job and service rules of cadet colleges are different from civil colleges and institutions. Cadet college teachers don't have any association to represent them. Cadet colleges are run by the Adjutant General's branch of Army Headquarters. Adjutant General remains busy with so many military functions. Necessarily he does not get enough time to concentrate on cadet college affairs. Hence the problems of the teachers who remain unknown to him. Establishing Teachers' organisation is also not possible under the defence rule. To update the affairs of cadet colleges council meeting is held twice a year where AG and other high
military and civil officers remain present. It is interesting enough that there is no teachers' representative in the council. On behalf of teachers only the principal remains present. Armed forces principals with some possible exceptions are not aware of the real problems of the teachers. Civil principals are not courageous enough perhaps to change anything for the teachers. In this kind of meeting teachers belonging to all categories (lecturers, assistant professors, associate professors) must be present, for bringing betterment and novelty in cadet college. I submitted some proposals in a council meeting through the then principal of my college who was from Armed Forces but very sympathetic and considerate towards teachers' interest and facilities. Even then he failed to submit such proposals before the high officials of the ministry of defence.
I sincerely believe that cadet colleges contribute a great deal to the field of education in our country. So cadet college service must be made suitable
keeping pace with the trend of twenty-first century. Cadet college teachers must not be confined within the four walls of the college. They must be sent to different organisations and places to receive training so that they can develop their professional skills as well as expose themselves to the recent happenings of the world. As cadets are the brilliant sons of the soil, to teach them the teachers must have better preparation and much more knowledgeable. Cadet college teachers are to remain busy only with the internal affairs of the college which sometimes seem monotonous to them. They must be given opportunity of broader exposure.
Government college teachers must be well conversant in and have deep knowledge of subjects. They must conduct research and receive higher education both at home and abroad. Regular promotion should be on the basis of merit, length of service, competitive examination, satisfactory service and ACR. The uniform rule must be maintained in respect of promotion,
posting and giving selection grade. No favouritism and nepotism must be accommodated here. Everybody must abide by rules and regulations in the greater interest of the nation.
Government comes and goes. Every government is to remain busy with so many chronic problems of the country. Though education is a vital sector, yet government of our country has to remain busy with poverty alleviation which is no less important. Reasonable teachers' organisation comprised of real teachers with leadership qualities can sort out the problems of education sector and find out sustainable solutions by convincing the government. Teachers must do something for the welfare of the students and education not everything for themselves only. Only individual gains and interests must not be harboured. Everything should be done in the greater interest of education and nation.
Masum Billah is Material Development Specialist, Post Primary Basic and Continuing Education (PACE) Programme, BRAC, Dhaka.