If Education Sector Collapses, Entire Nation Becomes Paralysed’: Rizvi

Action Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has said collapse of country's education system can leave entire nation "paralysed," calling for urgent efforts to restore quality and ethical standards in education.

Juas entire body becomes paralysed when nation's backbone becomes weak, entire nation becomes paralysed when education sector is destroyed,Rizvi said Thursday.

He was speaking as chief guest at rally organised by Teachers-Employees Unity Front at Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh auditorium in Dhaka to mark World Teachers' Day.

Rizvi accused previous government of weakening country's education system and moral foundation through excessive politicisation and emphasis on artificially high examination pass rates.

He alleged teachers and education officials had been pressured to ensure students passed examinations even when they had performed poorly.

He also criticised alleged glorification of individuals in textbooks, saying insufficient attention had been given to moral education.

Decline in quality of education has also damaged moral foundation of society,he said.

Rizvi described teachers as one of most important forces in building nation and said their welfare and professional concerns were closely linked to country's broader interests.

He urged teachers to pursue their legitimate demands while also taking responsibility for producing competent, skilled and ethical citizens.

Without ensuring quality education, no nation can achieve its desired development,he said.

Rizvi said BNP would not deprive teachers of their legitimate benefits and that their demands would be addressed gradually.

State minister backs nationalisation demand

Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives State Minister Mir Shahe Alam expressed strong support for long-standing demand to nationalise teachers and employees of non-government educational institutions.

Whether today or tomorrow, nationalisation of non-government educational institutions will happen,he said.

He described teachers as driving force of society and said teaching was profession from which all other professions emerged.

State minister said government, which he described as seven months old, was working to revive education sector despite financial constraints.

He said special fund of Tk 20 billion had been created to pay retirement benefits to nearly 100,000 teachers who retired between 2022 and 2026.

Nationalising non-government teachers and employees could require additional Tk 7 billion to Tk 8 billion annually, he said.

Shahe Alam urged teachers to organise disciplined national gathering and present their demands to prime minister through peaceful and democratic means.

He also said there was no legal or policy barrier preventing MPO-listed teachers from contesting local government elections until non-government educational institutions were fully nationalised.

Government pledges action on teachers' demands

Mahdi Amin, adviser to prime minister on education and primary and mass education, said government was committed to protecting teachers' dignity, rights and benefits and to reforming education system.

Teachers are among principal architects of future of nation,he said.

Amin said comprehensive education reform was essential to building prosperous, developed and democratic Bangladesh.

He recalled role of teachers and employees in Liberation War, 1990 anti-autocracy movement and subsequent democratic movements.

According to Amin, many teachers had been denied promotions and desired positions, while some had faced imprisonment and multiple legal cases during previous governments.

He said BNP governments had taken several initiatives in education, including expanding employment opportunities for teachers, establishing educational institutions, nationalising schools and colleges, introducing MPO system and establishing NTRCA, as well as welfare and retirement benefit institutions for teachers.

Amin said government would remain committed to implementing teachers' legitimate and reasonable demands, subject to its financial and administrative capacity.

He also said Tk 20 billion had been arranged within six months to address outstanding retirement benefits for teachers.

National teacher awards expanded

Amin said number of teachers receiving national recognition on World Teachers' Day had been increased from 12 to 100 this year.

Initiative would be expanded further in future, with priority given to teachers who had faced persecution and those who had inspired their students, he said.

Government also plans to expand teacher-training opportunities, create opportunities for higher education abroad and strengthen cooperation among teachers, industry and academia.

Rally, chaired by Teachers-Employees Unity Front President Principal Selim Bhuiyan, was attended by teacher and employee leaders from across country.

Other speakers included BNP Secretary for Volunteer Affairs Mir Sarafat Ali Sapu, Assistant Secretary for Finance Mahmudur Rahman Sumon and Teachers-Employees Unity Front Secretary General Chowdhury Mukim Uddin Mahmud.

Rally highlighted demands for nationalisation of teachers' and employees' jobs, improved professional dignity and rights, payment of outstanding retirement benefits and measures to improve quality of education.