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Should we import teachers?

Prof. Quazi Faruque Ahmed
IT may surprise many if not all, to know that acute crisis of experienced and qualified teachers in Bangladesh will soon necessitate import of teachers. M. Saifur Rahman who enjoyed longest tenure as Finance Minister, predicted such a possibility in a London assembly of Bangladeshi citizens in the early part of the last four party alliance government. He made this statement out of disgust in the face of serious shortage of English teachers in the country resulting in dearth of Bangladeshis who could communicate fluently in English required for employment prospects in the United Kingdom. With the passage of time and continued negligence of our policy makers at the helm of affairs, the crisis has deepened further bringing it to the present impasse, which draws serious attention to the non availability of teachers of Mathematics and Science subjects also. To speak the truth, even teachers who can teach Bangla with correct pronunciation and adequate knowledge in the subject, have also become rare now.
During Pakistan period and early years of liberation of Bangladesh, our teachers used to go to Algeria, Libya,
Iran and other countries to teach English and Mathematics. Some were found to go on deputation/lien. Foreign students were also found to study in our medical and engineering colleges. I saw students from Jordan in Dhaka College, in the early sixties. Now we hear of admission of some foreign students in language and other few courses in Dhaka University. We also know that some young mem -bers of the defence services from neighbouring and other countries study training courses in our National Defence College (NDC).
But shortage of teachers has brought a new dimension in our crisis-ridden education system which deserves immediate redress. A recent survey reveals that meritorious students entering the teaching profession leave it within 1 to 3 years in search of better job, dignified position and social status. So assum-ably only those people continue to remain in the profession who do not have the scope to opt fora new job due to over age. or are reluctant to take further risk of a new job.
Apathy and dislike for teaching profession was mentioned in the first Bangladesh Education Commission Report also. The Education Commission headed by renowned
scientist Dr. Qudrat-E-Khuda could guess the seriousness of the possible shortage of qualified teachers in future even in 1974. It was stated, interalia, in the report that more than 10 percent of teachers at the secondary level left teaching as a profession, instance of which was found nowhere in the world. Needless to say, lack of duecare and neglect of the policy makers and our shortsighted politicos as well, are responsible for this deplorable condition.
Both retirement of the experienced teachers and the exj t of the meritorious persons from this profession within 1 to 3 years of entry have worsened the problem. Pious wishes for quality education without realising the gravity and extent of the impediments in its way, has also become a tragic comedy. Though its consequence is to be bome by the entire nation and there is no visible remedy to it in the very near future. This sad state of affairs in educa -lion is really unfortunate when human development based on education, research, training and quality management is ensured in almost every-where in the globe.
Only a few news headlines in our national dailies published during the last two months, will help realise the gravity of the situation in regard to
shortage of qualified teachers at every tier of education:
• " 55 primary schools in Jessore are run without headmasters".
• "Education seriously hampered: 19 educational institutions are run by acting headmasters” at Kendua, Netrakona.
• " Posts of headmaster in 13 schools at Najirpur Upazila lying vacant for long".
• "10 educational institutions (non govt, schools, colleges and madrashaas) are collapsing with actingheadmasters” at Bheramara.
• “ Posts of 17 teachers including vice principal, vacant since 2006. The post of Librarian is vacant for the last 27 years and that of physical education teacher for 15 years"at Narail Victoria College”.
• “Education hampered in Khulna Medical College due to lack of teachers...”
• “ Chittagong University faces teachers crisis".
• " Posts of headmaster vacant in 13 educational institutions at Chatmohar", Pabna.
Posts of heads of educational institutions lie vacant now not only in Dhaka city. Non-govemment educational institutions who bear the bulk of the load in education in the coun-
try are not in a position to appoint headmasters/principals, viceprincipals, assistant headmasters and senior teachers, in many cases, even after repeated advertisements for those posts. The situation is worse in the rural areas. Naturally this is hampering normal administrative and academic function of the educational institutions. Non-govt. school Headmasters and Assistant Headmasters receiving govt, salary (under M.P.O), who preferred to apply for the vacant posts near their home or permanent abode leaving their present work place, were not allowed by the government on the plea of their holding more than one third division in academic career. The Education Ministry utterly failed to take note of (1) the crisis due to shortage of experienced teachers and that (2) the teachers who had already earned experience through years no matter whether they possess one or more third division, cannot be replaced very readily. Moreover, there is no alternative to experience and one cannot get experienced overnight also. It maybe mentioned here that Education Ministry in 1992 extended the tenure of services of English teaches from 60 to 65 years in three slabs (2+2+1). But
government is not abiding by its own order now. However, that has further aggravated the shortage crisis.
It is leamt that inaction, dilatory decision, high handedness and indecision in the Education Ministry has multiplied the crisis of the acute shortage of experienced and qualified teachers. The picture is more or less the same in other national areas also where knowledge and expertise are cognizable factors. The small number of scientists we have are also found retiring and their posts are also supposed to remain vacant for a long time, in case they are not reappointed. The Atomic Energy Commission is also going to face crisis in the recruitment of scientists.
It may need to import scientists from other countries to fill in the posts! Meanwhile, it is leamt that government has been advised to extend the tenure and utilise the services of the retired scientists as much as possible to avert the crisis.
Adoption of such measures may help revitalize education sector as well, to some extent, and the pressing urgency to import teachers from foreign countries as a dire necessity, will also be decreased at least for the time being. In this connection I would like to suggest the following
remedial measures:
• Utilisation of the services of already retired senior teachers, through extension / reappointment • Extensive subject wise inservice training programmes for teachers, giving priority to Mathematics and Science subjects, and English as a foreign language.
• Area - wise exchange programmes of experienced and qualified teachers between the local educational institutions to coverup the present deficiency.
• Withdrawal and amendment of government orders and strictures prohibiting reappointment of retired teachers, and providing Monthly Pay from government as before, to the index number holder senior teachers who joined new institutions of their preference.
• Decentralisation of structures of education including training programmes avoiding total concentration in Dhaka city.
• Utilisation of the services of Teachers Organization in Teachers Training Programmes as is done in the developed and developing countries.
• Introduction of separate pay scales for teachers in all tiers to attract merit, guaranteeing job security and regular promotions
• Ensuring incentives and provi-
sions for research and development of further education programmes for teachers.
The shortage of teachers once again has amply made it dear that total overhauling of the state of education is very much required. Otherwise quality education with qualified teachers will continue to remain a far cry. The nation cannot afford to sustain losses and wastage in human development for long. So the need for change of attitude and mindset of our policy makers taking into account the stark real fact that our vast population can be transformed into genuine human resources only through education and process of human development. They need to keep in mind that education, individual and social development along with desired national progress are inseparable. Those must be attended to with appropriate action at appropriate time, farsightedness, and adhering to democratic practice of interaction with the stake- holders.
The writer is the Chairman, Irvtutve for Human Development (IHD) and Secretary General, Bangladesh Federation of Teachers' Associations E-mail prof quazifaruque@hotmail.com / principatyahmed@yahoo com