The Ministry of Primary and Mass Education has initiated a process to urgently fill over 34,000 vacant head teacher positions at government primary schools across the country.

The move was announced in a press statement issued Tuesday (July 29) by Abdullah Shibli Sadik, Senior Information Officer at the ministry.

According to the statement, head teachers play a critical role in improving the quality of primary education. The prolonged vacancies have been affecting the academic activities of schools, prompting the government to take immediate measures to resolve the staffing shortfall.

Out of 65,569 government primary schools under the ministry’s jurisdiction, there are 65,502 approved head teacher posts. Currently, 31,396 of those positions are filled, leaving 34,106 posts vacant.

Of the total vacancies, 2,647 posts are eligible for direct recruitment, with the ministry proposing to fill 2,382 of them through open competitive exams after reserving 10 percent under special quotas. 

A formal recruitment request has already been sent to the Bangladesh Public Service Commission (PSC), and a job circular is expected soon.

In addition to direct recruitment, 31,459 posts are eligible for promotion from assistant teachers. These appointments will proceed once Civil Appeal Case No. 73/2023, related to the gradation of nationalised teachers, is resolved.

The ministry said that completing this recruitment drive will address long-standing staffing shortages and enhance the overall functioning and quality of education at primary level institutions. The government expects this initiative to raise the standard of primary education to a more desirable level.

SMS/