Non-cadre teachers of the newly nationalised 271 colleges can now enrol themselves in the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) cadre but teachers who are already part of the BCS cadre are opposed to such a move. The cadre-listed BCS (General Education) teachers say the cadre and non-cadre listed teachers cannot get equal status. They say they are not opposing the government’s move to provide the teachers of the newly nationalised colleges better facilities under the national pay scale but giving the teachers cadre status is not acceptable to them.

They think providing the cadre status to teachers absorbed through the nationalisation process will hamper the educational environment.

The education ministry yesterday in a circular nationalised a total of 271 non-government colleges at the district and upazila levels under the ‘Nationalised College Teacher and Employee Absorption Rules 2018.’

The circular says the nationalisation of the colleges will be effective from August 8, 2018.

At present, there are a total of 598 government colleges in country. The earlier number was 327, including Teachers’ Training College and Government Alia Madrasa.

The government started the enlistment of non-government colleges for nationalisation in 2016. These colleges have about 10 thousand teachers.

The Nationalised College Teacher and Employee Absorption Rules 2018 says the non-cadre listed teachers will have an opportunity to get enlisted in BCS (General Education) cadre list for the lecturer post through an examination by the Public Service Commission (PSC).

The newly absorbed teachers lecturers, assistant teachers, vice-principal, principal and employees will enjoy the relevant entry level grade of the national pay scale. However, these teachers will not have the opportunity to get transfer to other colleges.

“We oppose the government move to enlist the non-cadre teachers to the cadre lists. The government can provide the teachers with facilities but their enlistment in the cadre list  is unacceptable,” IK Selim Ullah Khondaker, president of BCS General Education Association, told The Independent yesterday.

 “The government has kept the provision to enlist the non-government teachers in the

cadre list under the Nationalised College Teacher and Employee Absorption Rules 2018 through a BCS examination. But BCS examination is an open competition. Here will be no open competition,” he added.

 Of the 271 nationalised colleges, 10 each in Kishoreganj, Chittagong, Cumilla and Sylhet, nine in Dinajpur, eight each in Mymensingh, Tangail, Sunamganj, seven each in Chandpur, Pabna, Rangpur, Kurigram and Rajshahi, six each in Khagrachhari, Bagherhat Barisal, Patuakhali and Bogra, five each in Netrakiona, Habiganj, Maulvibazar, Cox’s Bazar, Jessore and Khulna, four each in Dhaka, Manikganj, Narsingdi, Bhola, Shariatpur, Rangamati, Gaibandha, Panchagarh and Nilphamari, three each in Narayanganj, Munshiganj, Gazipur, Jamalpur, Sherpur, Bandarban, Sirajganj, Lalmonirhat, Barguna, Jhalokathi, Magura and Natore, two each in Rajbari, Kustia, Chuadanga, Pirojpur, Satkhira and Chapainawabganj, one each in Noakhali, Laxmipur, Feni, Thakurgaon, Jhenaidah, Narial and Joypurhat.