New Era | MEPs condemn corruption in the EDN sector

The Jatiya Party and independent parliamentarians said at the Jatiya Sangsad on Sunday that the education sector in the country was grappling with widespread irregularities, corruption and discrimination.

During their speech on the motions to withdraw the funding application for the Department of Secondary and Higher Education for the fiscal year 2024-2025, they said that nothing happens in the sector without bribery.

Hamidul Haque Khandker from Kurigram-2 constituency said that the allocation for education has always been below the GDP target.

Mentioning institutional and regional disparities in the sector, he said that field education officers work for five to seven years in the same job and engage in various types of irregularities and corruption.

Pankaj Debnath of Barishal-4 district said that recruitment of teachers through the Non-Governmental Teachers Registration and Certification Authority is commendable. But if someone from Chilmari in Kurigram is appointed in Mehendiganj in Barisal, he does not join.

“There are more problems in mountainous regions. Due to this, even after appointing teachers, the educational programme is disrupted. Consideration should be given to regionalising this recruitment. Vacancies for teachers and education officials should be filled quickly,” he said.

He said the Supreme Court had banned lawmakers from serving as presidents of committees managing educational institutions.

He added that MPs had spoken about it many times and the Education Minister had said that the government would file an appeal.

“I don’t know whether he appealed against the Supreme Court’s order or not. If he is a minister today,” he said.

According to Jatiya Party MP Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, the education system has undergone drastic changes.

Buildings have been constructed, but the quality of education has not changed, he said.

He said you have to go to different tables to include MPO. Step by step table means corruption step by step.

Abul Kalam of Natore-1 district said corruption is everywhere. “There is widespread corruption in education. It cannot be expressed in words,” he said.

“No teacher will get a pension if he or she has no money,” he added.

Nasser Shahriar Zahedi from Jhenaidah-2 constituency proposed reducing administrative expenditure and increasing spending on educational research.

Education Minister Mohibul Hassan Chowdhury said it was true that many people living in remote places were not joining.

“Recruitment of teachers through NTRCA is recommended due to Supreme Court orders… This is an obstacle that we are trying to remove by amending the law,” he said.

Referring to the chairmanship of the parliamentary body in educational institutions, the minister informed that the Supreme Court has issued a judgment in the case of the chairman of the parliamentary body in colleges associated with the National University.

“Thanks to this, members of parliament do not become presidents. We have already taken steps to appeal this decision,” he said.

However, the minister did not comment on the allegations of corruption in the education sector.