Jhenidah

No headmaster in 51 pry schools

Assistant teachers run the institutions

Some 51 government primary schools have no headmaster in Jhenidah district and are run by inexperienced assistant teachers.
Teachers, students and guardians say the absence of headmasters is hampering both administrative and academic activities.
They said acting headmasters, assistant teachers and even the assistant education officer are performing duties of a headmaster in these schools.
Khairul Islam, an acting headmaster of Sreerampur Government Primary School in Kotchandpur upazila, said: “I am holding the post in the last two and a half years. I have joined the school as an assistant teacher.”
Aklima Khatun, an acting headmistress of Bangkira Government Primary School in Sadar upazila, said she is an assistant teacher, but holds the post of the headmistress for the last four and a half years.
 “I am an assistant teacher. Here in my school only three assistant teachers are serving while the two posts remain vacant for a long time. I have to spend most of the time on official work and the other two have to give lessons to 280 students, which is a difficult job,” she said.
Seeking anonymity an acting headmaster told the correspondent that he had to go to upazila education office for five days a month to attend meetings and for other purposes. Besides, he has to attend various government programmes, which are held in and outside of the school or in other organisations.
Many teachers said irregularities in recruitment and promotion process for headmaster and failure to formulate an acceptable gradation policy are responsible for creating the vacancy in top post. Some teachers blamed the dual-administration of Ministry of Education and the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education for the situation.
Dilip Kumar Voumik, Jhenidah district education officer, said he has written to education ministry and the directorate several times in this regard, but they pay no heed to the matter. “But we are hopeful of filling up the vacancies. We have already got 22 headmasters and other such posts will be filled up in a few months time when the department will promote some qualified acting headmasters.”

Jhenidah

No headmaster in 51 pry schools

Assistant teachers run the institutions

Some 51 government primary schools have no headmaster in Jhenidah district and are run by inexperienced assistant teachers. Teachers, students and guardians say the absence of headmasters is hampering both administrative and academic activities. They said acting headmasters, assistant teachers and even the assistant education officer are performing duties of a headmaster in these schools. Khairul Islam, an acting headmaster of Sreerampur Government Primary School in Kotchandpur upazila, said: I am holding the post in the last two and a half years. I have joined the school as an assistant teacher. Aklima Khatun, an acting headmistress of Bangkira Government Primary School in Sadar upazila, said she is an assistant teacher, but holds the post of the headmistress for the last four and a half years. I am an assistant teacher. Here in my school only three assistant teachers are serving while the two posts remain vacant for a long time. I have to spend most of the time on official work and the other two have to give lessons to 280 students, which is a difficult job, she said. Seeking anonymity an acting headmaster told the correspondent that he had to go to upazila education office for five days a month to attend meetings and for other purposes. Besides, he has to attend various government programmes, which are held in and outside of the school or in other organisations. Many teachers said irregularities in recruitment and promotion process for headmaster and failure to formulate an acceptable gradation policy are responsible for creating the vacancy in top post. Some teachers blamed the dual-administration of Ministry of Education and the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education for the situation. Dilip Kumar Voumik, Jhenidah district education officer, said he has written to education ministry and the directorate several times in this regard, but they pay no heed to the matter. But we are hopeful of filling up the vacancies. We have already got 22 headmasters and other such posts will be filled up in a few months time when the department will promote some qualified acting headmasters.