Two organizations representing government primary school assistant teachers have announced the suspension of their “shutdown” program across the nation’s 65,000 government primary schools.
The decision was conveyed through a joint press release issued on Thursday (December 4) by the Primary Teachers’ Demands Implementation Council and the Bangladesh Primary Assistant Teachers’ Organization Unity Council.
Student Welfare Prioritized
The joint statement declared that, considering the interests and humanitarian perspective of students, the program of locking down all government primary schools nationwide will be suspended starting this Sunday (December 7) until the completion of examinations. Consequently, the annual examinations will proceed normally.
The organizations emphasized that while the ongoing movement to realize the assistant teachers’ legitimate three-point demands remains active, this decision was taken by both councils to ensure the exams are completed without harming the students. Furthermore, they stated that the next course of action will be announced following discussion.
Exams to Resume Sunday
Earlier, Md. Mahbubur Rahman, a key convener of the Primary Teachers’ Demands Implementation Council, had indicated the intention to resume tests promptly. “We had decided earlier that if a meeting was held in the morning, we would immediately arrange the exams. However, as the meeting did not happen, it was not possible. Even so, we will start the exams from Sunday. These students are our children. We do not want to cause them harm. A two-day delay will not cripple their academic life,” he said.
Addressing the parents’ reaction, he noted, “Teachers in various places have faced pressure from guardians. Many became agitated. But the year’s studies are complete. A two-day delay in the exam would not have been a major issue. Other programs of the movement will continue, but the exams will be kept outside its scope.”
Transfer of Movement Leaders
The suspension comes amidst a backdrop of 42 teachers involved in the ongoing three-point demand movement being transferred to different districts. This transfer was approved by an order from the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education on December 4. The list includes five top leaders of the movement: Khairun Nahar Lipi, Md. Shamsuddin Masud, Md. Abul Kashem, Md. Mahbubur Rahman, and Md. Moniruzzaman.
