Declining status of RU teachers
WHILE it is true that university teaching as a profession has lost its excellence, it was still well regarded in the society even in the recent past. When I was a student during the mid 1990s, I found a special distinction for this profession.
Rajshahi University, the second largest university of Bangladesh, had a good reputation in the past. Even when I was a student I had a dream to be a teacher of RU. However, in due course of time, my hopes and aspirations faded away. The experience of ten years of teaching has offered me several bitter experiences, which has created a sense of dissatisfaction.
The main intention of this write up is not to highlight those issues. Rather, an attempt is made to shed light on one example which would offer the readers an understanding about the status of RU teachers: the transport facilitates for the RU teachers.
RU authorities provide transport facilities to the teachers to go to different places within Rajshahi city. There are a few buses which are reserved for teachers and officers (although, I am still not convinced about the definition of the officers since the passengers travelling those buses range from fourth class employees to class one officers along with teachers).
Teachers are required to pay a certain amount of money as bus-fare, which is curtailed from their salary every month. It is important to mention that I seldom travel on these buses since they look over-crowded all the time.
Now, we are passing through very hot weather in Rajshahi since April. Thus, travelling on a rickshaw at midday is quite difficult. Recently, having found no other alternative, I boarded one of the buses to go to Rajshahi city.
The bus was scheduled at 12:10 pm. I boarded the bus at about 12 pm. The bus was full. I noticed different categories of passengers, ranging from fourth class employees to first class officers, teachers, family members of the teachers, officers, employees, and a good number of kids who were returning back to their home after completing school.
What struck me was that only a few teachers were seated and most of the teachers were standing. However, I found a good number of fourth class and third class employees who were seated. What was most pathetic was that at least half a dozen teachers were standing in the doorways.
This was not the case for that day only. It was happening for a long time. However, no initiative was taken from any administration to oversee the issue. As far as my knowledge goes, a group of young teachers took an initiative and collected signature of teachers and demanded for separation of buses for the teachers during 2000-2001. However, finally decision was not taken at that time.
I am not sure whether there had been any initiative in this regard since after 2001. Travelling with others in the same bus is not a matter of indulgence for the teachers. However, given the societal setting of Bangladesh, a teacher may expect to be in an advantageous position. It looks very odd when we notice a senior professor is standing in the bus while a fourth class employee is seated.
When I joined the university, I had lots of dream. Of course, I fulfilled some of those. But, some bitter experiences like travelling on buses have created a sense of inferiority within me. Now, it is up to the readers to judge the status of RU teachers. The case of bus is only one. We have lots of problems which need the immediate attention of the authority.
We know that our resources are limited. Thus, the government as well as the university authority could not afford to offer us with lots of facilities. Even though, this is the time to think on such issues. The university authority should have taken some decision in this regard.
I know that if the university authority wants to separate buses for the teachers they will have to buy new buses which will require extra allocation of funds. In order to implement such initiatives, the authority should negotiate with the government and the government should respond positively in order to uphold the dignity of the teaching profession. Otherwise, in the near future, candidates with better calibre would lose interest in building their career in the field of university teaching.
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