'Quality teachers for quality education...'
Yesterday, October 5 was World Teachers' Day and a day of celebration for the teaching community throughout the globe, in view of the adoption by the ILO and UNESCO, 'Recommendations' concerning the status of teachers on that date in 1966 in Paris at a special intergovernmental conference. The 'Recommendations' are immensely important due to their wide ranging significance and implications in regard to educators in particular and education in general.
Theme of the Day for 2007
Education International (EI) under the patronage of UNESCO adopted the main theme for the World Teachers' Day 2007 as: "quality teachers for quality education; better working conditions for teachers mean better learning conditions for learners ". To quote: "A decent working environment a safe and healthy learning environment for teachers and learners, appropriate class-sizes and adequate pedagogical resources in the classroom; Living wages salaries that allow for decent living conditions and that are regularly paid; Equal pay and equal rights for women female teachers should not experience discrimination of any form and governments should ensure the empowerment of women in the education setting, in decision making and in the workplace; Initial and ongoing professional development the opportunity to gain and to develop professional skills, to be kept up to date with new information and pedagogical techniques, and to develop a career, Involvement in policy-making to ensure that new policies reflect the reality of the classroom, social dialogue should be an integral part of education planning and policy formulation; Collective bargaining to defend and enhance teacher' rights working conditions, as well as quality assessments of teaching procedures, must be negotiated between representatives of the government/employers and the representative education unions." Four salient features
* Since education is a service of fundamental importance it should be recognised as a responsibility of the state. * Teachers' organisation should be recognised as a force which can contribute greatly to educational advance and which therefore should be associated with the determination of education policy. * Since education is an essential factor in economic growth, educational planning should form an integral part of total economic and social planning undertaken to improve living conditions. * Teachers' salaries should: i. reflect the importance to society of the teaching function and hence the importance of teachers as well as the responsibilities of all kinds which fall upon them from the time of their entry into the service; ii. compare favoUrably with salaries paid in other occupations requiring similar or equivalent qualifications; iii. provide teachers with the means to ensure a reasonable standard of living for themselves and their families as well as to invest in further education or in the pursuit of cultural activities thus enhancing their professional qualification Violation of 'Recommendations'
The teachers and employees of 28,000, educational institutions (schools, colleges, specialised and technical institutions) in Bangladesh passed through a very difficult time in discharging their professional obligations in the very near past prior to the present caretaker government took charge. In the backdrop of harassment, political repression and vengeance, termination of teachers and employees, the then authorities continuously violated the provisions of 9,10,46, 47, 49, 61, 62, 63, 71, 72,73, 82,89,90,115,117 of "UNESCO/ILO Recommendations Concerning the Status of Teachers." Teachers across the country were subjected to "torture and repression" and many teachers were sacked from their job even without showing any cause. Govt. `Stopped'' salaries of thousands of teachers and employees without giving any scope for self defense. The non teaching staff of the non govt. educational institutions of Bangladesh, not only were sacked from job without show cause notice, For years together they were compelled to work for more than 8 hours, sometimes even up to 11/12 hours at a stretch without any remuneration for the extra work .There seems to be no end to their agonies such as absence of service conditions even today. The then Education Ministry issued orders one after another often seriously jeopardising the honour, professional status and dignity of the teachers. On January 8 of 2005 alone, nine such orders were issued to stop due salaries, deprive from higher scale on seniority and promotion, etc. The Education Ministry then took all such decisions without any consultation with the teachers' representatives, in clear violation of the UNESCO/ILO Recommendations. National Front of Teachers and Employees (NFTE), the largest united platform of the non govt. teachers and employees, representing the hopes and aspirations of about half a million teachers and employees serving in educational institutions, raised a voice of protest against the flagrant violation of the provisions of the UNESCO/ILO Recommendations. It submitted an 8- point Charter of Demands to the then government which included 10 per cent enhancement of the initial govt. salary as per election commitment of the then ruling party, dearness allowance due to increase of prices of essential commodities, reinstatement of illegally terminated teachers and employees, and implementation of the UNESCO/ILO Recommendations. Allocation in education
Governments in Bangladesh claimed highest allocation in education though the non- govt. teachers and employees get only Tk. 100 (less than 2 US Dollars) each for monthly house rent and medical allowance. That allocation again is also decreasing in actual value due to devaluation of currency. On the other hand, there is virtually no allocation for libraries and laboratories. It is very relevant to mention here what International Commission on Education for the 21st Century headed by Jacques Delors has stressed in its report to UNESCO: "Improving the quality of education depends on first improving the recruitment, training, social status and conditions of work of teachers. They need the appropriate knowledge and skills, personal characteristics, professional prospects and motivation if they are to meet the expectations placed upon them." Half a million teachers in Bangladesh raise their heads with the expectation and forward-looking conviction that teachers would be duly consulted in educational matters, and their creativity as well as skill and experience fully utilised by authorities in the greater perspective and interest of human development. They along with 60 million counterparts in other countries urge for implementation of the 145-para UNESCO-ILO Recommendations on the status of teachers. 'Since education is a service of fundamental importance, it should be recognised as a responsibility of the state.' Education, educators and pupils rightly, deserve appropriate national attention. Prof. Quazi Faruque Ahmed is Chief Coordinator, National Front of Teachers and Employees(NFTE) and Secretary General, Bangladesh Federation of Teachers' Associations(BFTA)
Education International (EI) under the patronage of UNESCO adopted the main theme for the World Teachers' Day 2007 as: "quality teachers for quality education; better working conditions for teachers mean better learning conditions for learners ". To quote: "A decent working environment a safe and healthy learning environment for teachers and learners, appropriate class-sizes and adequate pedagogical resources in the classroom; Living wages salaries that allow for decent living conditions and that are regularly paid; Equal pay and equal rights for women female teachers should not experience discrimination of any form and governments should ensure the empowerment of women in the education setting, in decision making and in the workplace; Initial and ongoing professional development the opportunity to gain and to develop professional skills, to be kept up to date with new information and pedagogical techniques, and to develop a career, Involvement in policy-making to ensure that new policies reflect the reality of the classroom, social dialogue should be an integral part of education planning and policy formulation; Collective bargaining to defend and enhance teacher' rights working conditions, as well as quality assessments of teaching procedures, must be negotiated between representatives of the government/employers and the representative education unions." Four salient features
* Since education is a service of fundamental importance it should be recognised as a responsibility of the state. * Teachers' organisation should be recognised as a force which can contribute greatly to educational advance and which therefore should be associated with the determination of education policy. * Since education is an essential factor in economic growth, educational planning should form an integral part of total economic and social planning undertaken to improve living conditions. * Teachers' salaries should: i. reflect the importance to society of the teaching function and hence the importance of teachers as well as the responsibilities of all kinds which fall upon them from the time of their entry into the service; ii. compare favoUrably with salaries paid in other occupations requiring similar or equivalent qualifications; iii. provide teachers with the means to ensure a reasonable standard of living for themselves and their families as well as to invest in further education or in the pursuit of cultural activities thus enhancing their professional qualification Violation of 'Recommendations'
The teachers and employees of 28,000, educational institutions (schools, colleges, specialised and technical institutions) in Bangladesh passed through a very difficult time in discharging their professional obligations in the very near past prior to the present caretaker government took charge. In the backdrop of harassment, political repression and vengeance, termination of teachers and employees, the then authorities continuously violated the provisions of 9,10,46, 47, 49, 61, 62, 63, 71, 72,73, 82,89,90,115,117 of "UNESCO/ILO Recommendations Concerning the Status of Teachers." Teachers across the country were subjected to "torture and repression" and many teachers were sacked from their job even without showing any cause. Govt. `Stopped'' salaries of thousands of teachers and employees without giving any scope for self defense. The non teaching staff of the non govt. educational institutions of Bangladesh, not only were sacked from job without show cause notice, For years together they were compelled to work for more than 8 hours, sometimes even up to 11/12 hours at a stretch without any remuneration for the extra work .There seems to be no end to their agonies such as absence of service conditions even today. The then Education Ministry issued orders one after another often seriously jeopardising the honour, professional status and dignity of the teachers. On January 8 of 2005 alone, nine such orders were issued to stop due salaries, deprive from higher scale on seniority and promotion, etc. The Education Ministry then took all such decisions without any consultation with the teachers' representatives, in clear violation of the UNESCO/ILO Recommendations. National Front of Teachers and Employees (NFTE), the largest united platform of the non govt. teachers and employees, representing the hopes and aspirations of about half a million teachers and employees serving in educational institutions, raised a voice of protest against the flagrant violation of the provisions of the UNESCO/ILO Recommendations. It submitted an 8- point Charter of Demands to the then government which included 10 per cent enhancement of the initial govt. salary as per election commitment of the then ruling party, dearness allowance due to increase of prices of essential commodities, reinstatement of illegally terminated teachers and employees, and implementation of the UNESCO/ILO Recommendations. Allocation in education
Governments in Bangladesh claimed highest allocation in education though the non- govt. teachers and employees get only Tk. 100 (less than 2 US Dollars) each for monthly house rent and medical allowance. That allocation again is also decreasing in actual value due to devaluation of currency. On the other hand, there is virtually no allocation for libraries and laboratories. It is very relevant to mention here what International Commission on Education for the 21st Century headed by Jacques Delors has stressed in its report to UNESCO: "Improving the quality of education depends on first improving the recruitment, training, social status and conditions of work of teachers. They need the appropriate knowledge and skills, personal characteristics, professional prospects and motivation if they are to meet the expectations placed upon them." Half a million teachers in Bangladesh raise their heads with the expectation and forward-looking conviction that teachers would be duly consulted in educational matters, and their creativity as well as skill and experience fully utilised by authorities in the greater perspective and interest of human development. They along with 60 million counterparts in other countries urge for implementation of the 145-para UNESCO-ILO Recommendations on the status of teachers. 'Since education is a service of fundamental importance, it should be recognised as a responsibility of the state.' Education, educators and pupils rightly, deserve appropriate national attention. Prof. Quazi Faruque Ahmed is Chief Coordinator, National Front of Teachers and Employees(NFTE) and Secretary General, Bangladesh Federation of Teachers' Associations(BFTA)
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