Primary teachers' council places nine-point demand, seeks 11th-grade pay

The Primary Teachers’ Organisation Unity Council on Wednesday placed a nine-point demand, including setting the salary grade for assistant primary school teachers at the 11th grade, ensuring promotion opportunities and simplifying the transfer policy.

The organisation also announced that it would submit a memorandum to the Prime Minister through deputy commissioners on October 1, seeking implementation of the demands.

The teachers’ leaders announced the programme at a press conference at Abdus Salam Hall of the Jatiya Press Club.

Speakers said primary education is the foundation of the country’s education system and that improving the social and economic status of around 380,000 teachers is essential to ensuring quality primary education.

They demanded restoration of house rent and Baishakhi allowances and an increase in the education allowance under the 2026 pay scale. They also welcomed the proposal to introduce a separate pay scale for teachers.

The Unity Council, comprising 11 organisations, has long been working to secure what it described as the legitimate demands of primary teachers, the speakers said.

They expressed concern over the suspension of transfers at the upazila level, saying teachers were being forced to remain at the same workplace for years, in some cases until retirement.

They also warned that the lack of opportunities for all teachers to receive promotion would undermine efforts to ensure quality and ethical education.

The council’s other demands include resolving complications over selection grade or higher grade after eight and 14 years of service; automatically providing recreation allowances every three years; incorporating life-oriented and work-oriented ethical education into the curriculum; implementing the 10th grade for head teachers without delay; ensuring representation of teachers’ organisations in education-related policymaking; and bringing all government primary schools under a single-shift system, with school hours from 10am to 3pm.

The teachers’ leaders warned that they would launch tougher programmes if the demands were not addressed within a short period.