NTRCA teacher recruitment row sparks backlash, govt denies decision

The government on Monday denied that any decision had been taken to transfer teacher recruitment authority from the Non-Government Teachers’ Registration and Certification Authority (NTRCA) to managing committees or governing bodies of non-government educational institutions.

Education Minister A. N. M. Ehsanul Haque Milan, in a Facebook post on Monday, said the Ministry of Education was reviewing ways to make the NTRCA’s activities and the teacher recruitment process more transparent, efficient and effective.

He urged everyone not to spread misinformation.

The clarification came amid severe backlash following the circulation of minutes from an Education Ministry meeting dated August 3, which said the NTRCA would be responsible for registration and certification only and suggested that certified teachers could be appointed by the respective managing committees or governing bodies of educational institutions.

In 2015, the NTRCA was entrusted with the final authority to select candidates for teacher recruitment in MPO listed non-government educational institutions.

The recently reported proposal has drawn protests from political parties, student organizations and job seekers, who fear it could open the door to political influence and irregularities in teacher recruitment.

Different political parties and organizations protested the reported decision through statements and demonstrations.

The opposition Jamaat-e-Islami issued a statement protesting the reported move.

It said transferring the recruitment of entry-level teachers at private schools, colleges and madrasas to managing committees could revive the previous culture of corruption, nepotism, political influence and bribery in the recruitment of teachers at MPO-listed institutions.

The party called on the government to scrap the reported initiative.

National Citizen Party (NCP) spokesperson Asif Mahmud Sajeeb Bhuiyan warned that a major movement would be launched if the reported decision to recruit teachers through managing committees was finalized.

He accused the government of seeking to politicize schools by taking away employment opportunities from young people and said such a move would not be accepted.

Protests were also held on the University of Dhaka campus. The NCP's student wing, Jatiya Chhatra Shakti, organized a protest march and rally against the reported move. The Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) and other organizations also held demonstrations.

Speaking at the rally, DUCSU Vice-President Abu Shadik Kayem said replacing the NTRCA with managing committees in the teacher recruitment process could adversely affect hundreds of thousands of young people seeking employment.

He demanded that the government withdraw the reported decision and offer an unconditional apology to students.

NCP leader and MP Hasnat Abdullah said handing teacher recruitment authority to managing committees would open the door to politicization and undermine the education system.

He argued that teacher recruitment should be conducted through a transparent, impartial and merit-based process rather than through local influence or political considerations.

In contrast, Chhatra Dal Central President Rakibul Islam and General Secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir said in separate Facebook posts that accurate information about the NTRCA would be made public soon and urged people not to spread misinformation based on rumours.