Govt considering necessary changes to digital transfer system of teachers: Milon

Minister for Education and Primary and Mass Education ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon today said the government is considering necessary changes to the digital transfer system of primary school teachers to make the process more balanced and responsive to local needs. Responding to a query from Dewan Mohammod Salahuddin from Dhaka-19 constituency in the Jatiya Sangsad (JS), he acknowledged the importance of the issue and thanked the lawmaker for raising it. During the question-and-answer session, the Education Minister said that in the past there was no provision allowing primary school teachers to be transferred outside their respective areas.

Later, he said the previous government introduced a computerised system for teachers' transfers. Under the system, Milon, also the Primary and Mass Education Minister, said transfers are processed based on the instructions generated through the digital platform. Since Savar is part of greater Dhaka, many teachers from different parts of the country seek transfers there through the application system, he said, adding, "To address this issue, we need to incorporate some reservation mechanisms within the digital system."

The government is currently reviewing the matter and discussions have already begun on making adjustments to the computer programme so that a larger proportion of teachers posted in a locality come from that area, while allowing a limited number from outside, the minister continued. "We are examining how the allocation process can be modified to ensure that most of the teachers are from the respective locality, while maintaining a small portion from outside," he told the House.

Taking the floor during the question-and-answer session, Dewan Mohammod Salahuddin said that according to the current policy, teachers working in government primary schools should primarily be posted within their local areas, particularly when vacancies arise due to retirement. He said the rules stipulate that when positions fall vacant, preference should be given to teachers who are residents of the respective areas, have provided a local address during recruitment and are registered voters there.