Primary education directorate orders annual exams despite teachers’ protest

Assistant teachers at government primary schools have been observing continuous work abstention over their three-point demand and have announced they will boycott the third terminal or annual examinations scheduled to begin on Sunday.

Despite this, the Directorate of Primary Education (DPE) has instructed all government primary schools to conduct the exams on time. The directive was issued in a letter signed by AK Mohammad Shamshul Ahsan, director of policy and operation, on Sunday, November 30, and sent to all divisional deputy directors and district primary education officers.

The letter states that the third terminal exams will begin on December 1 nationwide. Officials have been instructed to ensure the exams are held without any disruption and warned that disciplinary action will be taken if negligence or irregularities are detected.

Meanwhile, the Primary Teachers’ Demand Implementation Council continues its movement. The council’s convenor, Md Mahbubur Rahman, said they will enforce the exam boycott if visible progress is not made by today.

According to DPE, the country currently has 65,569 government primary schools and more than 384,000 teachers. While headteachers receive 10th grade salaries, most assistant teachers remain in 13th grade, prompting their long-standing demand for grade improvement.

Teachers staged a sit-in at the Central Shaheed Minar on 8–12 November, during which more than 150 teachers were injured in a police action. They returned to classrooms upon government assurance, but resumed work abstention after no progress was seen.