Teachers held a human chain in Char Fasson, Bhola, demanding the nationalization of private primary schools left out of the 2013 nationalization gazette and calling for various facilities for students of these institutions, including the opportunity to sit for primary scholarship examinations.

The human chain was organized by the Char Fasson upazila unit of the Bangladesh Private Primary Teachers’ Association in front of the Char Fasson Press Club at 11 a.m. on Saturday (September 26). The programme was chaired by the organization’s president, Md Ibrahim. Teachers from various private primary schools across the upazila took part.

Speakers said schools established before May 27, 2012, that had applied for teaching permission with land documents were supposed to be brought under nationalization following the government announcement on January 9, 2013. They claimed that although information on 26,193 schools was submitted at the upazila and district levels out of around 31,000 private primary schools nationwide, approximately 4,159 schools were left out of the nationalization process.

Teachers said students of the excluded schools had participated in the Primary Education Completion Examination from 2009 to 2019 under their respective school codes. They also participated in the 2022 primary scholarship examination. However, they said complications remain regarding their students’ participation in scholarship examinations and registration under the KG policy.

Md Mahabub Alam, general secretary of the organization, said primary education plays an important role in developing children’s education and moral values. He said teachers had been campaigning for nationalization for more than a decade, but the issue has yet to be resolved.

He alleged that teachers had previously faced police obstruction, water cannons, tear gas and arrests during sit-in programmes in front of the National Press Club. He called for intervention by the relevant authorities, saying the current government is giving importance to primary education.

Md Mostafa Kamal, organizing secretary of the organization, said primary schools across the country were brought under a registration system after primary education was made compulsory in 1993. He claimed that students of the excluded schools had long been deprived of government stipends and other facilities.

He said most of the excluded schools are located in remote villages and haor areas, where a large number of children from low-income families study. Bringing the students under the stipend programme would increase school attendance and contribute positively to ensuring primary education, he added.

Among others, Bhola district president and central finance secretary Md Salah Uddin, central office secretary Md Shahid Ullah, legal affairs secretary Mosammat Sakia, Md Mizanur Rahman, Md Elias, Md Shahin Alal and Md Jasim Uddin spoke at the human chain.