It is good to note that as a part of its endeavour to improve the quality of life and livelihood of teachers, the government is planning to bring a total of 2,768 educational institutions, including schools, colleges and madrasas under the Monthly Payment Order (MPO).
MPO is the government’s share in the payroll of the non-government educational institutions. Under the scheme, the government gives 100 percent of the basic salaries to the teachers of non-government schools. As per the rules, the educational institutes first come under MPO facilities and then the government enlists the teachers in the payroll. After a suspension for six years by the then BNP-led alliance government, the Awami League-led government in 2010 started the MPO facility as per its electoral pledge, enlisting 1,624 private secondary and higher secondary schools and colleges in the MPO scheme. However, since then we have witnessed a number of demonstrations and hunger strikes made by the rest of the non-MPO teachers. Against this backdrop the government has now planned to bring more non-government educational institutions under the purview of MPO.
There should not be any nepotism,
political influence or regional
discrimination in the
process of MPO enlistment
Teachers demanding enlistment under MPO facilities give us a very grim picture about their life and livelihood. It is neither good for education nor for the teachers. Also there have been gross irregularities regarding the inclusion of MPO of the non government educational institutions.
Inclusion of MPO depends on development of the infrastructure and the number of students and results. But unfortunately, using political influence, institutions of lower standard have been enrolled in the MPO list while better ones have been left out.
This means the institutions were enrolled with political influence rather than qualification. This should not be repeated.
