The total number of teachers employed in government-run primary, secondary, higher secondary, and university institutions across the country stands at 442,644. An analysis of data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Educational Information and Statistics (BANBEIS) reveals that nearly 59 percent of these appointments have occurred over the past 15 years. According to the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, the Ministry of Education, and the University Grants Commission (UGC), approximately 261,136 teachers were appointed in various government and public educational institutions during this period.

Education experts point out that while a significant number of teachers were recruited during this period, concerns about the transparency of these appointments persist. Allegations have been raised repeatedly by various organizations. A 2016 report by Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) on university teacher appointments cited instances of political influence, excessive recruitment beyond advertised posts, manipulation of exam results, and other irregularities and corruption in the appointment of lecturers at public universities. The report even highlighted financial transactions ranging from BDT 3 hundred thousand to 2 million for these positions at eight universities. Additionally, over the past 15 years, there have been allegations of leaking question papers, financial transactions, and bribery in the recruitment process for primary, secondary, and other educational institutions. Various sources suggest that the situation has remained more or less the same throughout the last decade and a half. But in recent years it has become more pronounced.

When asked about the situation, TIB Executive Director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman told Bonik Barta, “In the last 15 years, almost every service sector in our country including education has seen various irregularities. Our field level research on teacher recruitment has consistently found issues such as politicization, nepotism, financial transactions, and question leaks. Thus, despite the large number of teachers being recruited, the desired goals have not been achieved. The quality of education has not improved, educational expenses have not decreased, the desired services have not been provided, and the entire nation has suffered. To eliminate these issues in education, we need to reform the entire structure. The service sectors have been put in such a state over the past decade and a half that the entire framework must be changed. However, this is time consuming. Moreover, it will be challenging because of those who have unfairly benefited from the system. Therefore, we must move forward with a clear plan based on thorough analysis and identification of the underlying issues.”

According to the 2023 Annual Primary School Census, there are currently 384,513 teachers in primary schools across the country. Of them, 238,579 have been appointed in the past 15 years. This highlights that nearly 62 percent of the current workforce was recruited during this period. However, there are allegations that a significant portion of these appointments involved question leaks, financial transactions, and political influence.

In 2023, allegations were made against the then-State Minister for Primary and Mass Education, Zakir Hossain, accusing him of accepting bribes for the appointment of assistant teachers. After victims presented evidence to the media, the money was reportedly returned on the minister's behalf. Most recently, in the third phase of the primary teacher recruitment examination this year, allegations of question leaks surfaced again. Evidence of question leaks started circulating on social media. The High Court subsequently ordered the suspension of the announcement of oral exam results for this recruitment process until an investigation is conducted.

Commenting on the situation, Professor Dr. S M Hafizur Rahman of the Institute of Education and Research at the University of Dhaka told Bonik Barta, “Most talented teachers are needed at the primary education level. However, due to the inadequate pay structure in our country, the best performers generally do not pursue careers in primary education. Moreover, even among those who do pursue this career, we see irregularities such as question leaks and politicization during the recruitment process. As a result, we are facing a significant gap in ensuring quality education at the primary level. Research reports already indicate that the majority of third and fifth grade students lack the expected linguistic and mathematical skills. This proves that we have not been able to elevate the quality of education at the primary level to the desired standard. Furthermore, we are still witnessing a high dropout rate among primary students. This can also be attributed to the lack of skilled teachers. The way students engage with their studies is largely influenced by the teaching style of their instructors. When a teacher makes lessons engaging, students are more likely to learn with interest.”

He added, “At every level, from primary to higher education, the sole criterion for hiring teachers should be their qualifications. However, for primary education, we must also improve the salary structure. Since the foundation of students' education is built here, it is crucial to ensure that the most talented teachers are attracted to these positions by offering them a competitive salary structure and social status. Otherwise, if there are gaps at the primary level, these gaps will persist in the future.”

According to BANBEIS' 2023 education statistics, the total number of teachers in government secondary schools currently stands at 13 thousand 980. Data from the Ministry of Education shows that 6 thousand 412 of them have been appointed through the Public Service Commission (PSC) as assistant teachers. Additionally, the government’s decision to bring MPO affiliated schools under government sector has brought more than a thousand teachers under the government salary structure. However, allegations have surfaced regarding the leakage of exam questions in several exams conducted by PSC. Reports suggest that a team led by several high-ranking PSC officials was involved in these leaks. Seventeen people have already been arrested in connection with this case, which is currently under investigation.

At the college level, the total number of teachers is 27 thousand and 752. Of these, 7,345 lecturers have been appointed through BCS exams in the last 15 years. Furthermore, bringing MPO affiliated colleges in government sector has brought nearly 2 thousand teachers under the government salary scheme. However, multiple teachers from these colleges have alleged that they had to pay a specific amount in bribes during the process of bringing them under the government salary scheme.

A teacher from a government college at the upazila level in Barishal, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said, “To bring the college under government salary scheme, each of us teachers was required to pay BDT 4 hundred thousand in two installments. We were told that this money was needed to pay high-ranking officials in the ministry; otherwise, the college would not be come under government salary scheme.”

According to BANBEIS, the total number of teachers in public universities currently stands at 16,399. Data from the University Grants Commission (UGC) indicates that over the past decade and a half, at least 8,800 teachers have been hired across 47 universities. However, these recruitment processes have been frequently scarred by allegations of nepotism, political favoritism, leniency in standards, and financial transactions. The most recent UGC report, published earlier this year, highlighted that at least 30 public universities are not adhering to UGC regulations in their hiring practices.

Professor Emeritus A K Azad Chowdhury, former Chairman of the UGC and former Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University, told Bonik Barta, “Teacher recruitment should never consider anyone’s political affiliation. Three key aspects should be prioritized: first, merit and academic qualifications; second, character traits such as honesty, ethics, and humanity; and third, the desire and ability to conduct research. At the higher education level, the focus on research becomes even more critical. It is important to evaluate not just the quantity of research papers but also their quality, as reflected in their publication in well-regarded peer-reviewed journals. If these criteria are strictly followed, those recruited will undoubtedly be high-caliber educators.”

Attempts to reach senior officials from the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education and the Ministry of Education for comments on the overall situation were unsuccessful, as none were willing to provide a statement.