Assistant teachers of different government primary schools across the country from Monday began a staging an indefinite whole-day strike, pressing for an increase in the entry-level pay scale as well as promotion.
The strike, however, was observed partially on the first day of the work abstention programme.
The teachers, under the banner of Primary Assistant Teachers Association Unity Council, have threatened to continue their protests until their three-point demand is met.
The three-point demand is鈥攗pgrading the assistant teacher position at the entry level to the 11th grade from the existing 13th grade; removing the existing barriers to achieving higher grade for the teachers who are 10 years and 16 years into the job; and making provision that all head teachers will be appointed from the pool of assistant teachers through promotion.
The work abstention, however, took place sporadically at different schools where the teachers belonged to the unity council.
The strike was observed at some schools in Dhaka, while academic activities in most government primary schools went normal.
Nilkhet Government Primary School head teacher Jannatul Naima said that assistant teachers of the school on the day conducted classes but refrained from other work, including checking exam papers.
Sher-e-Bangla Government Primary School assistant teacher Sharmeen Zaman said that though they supported the strike, but they were conducting classes considering the learning losses of the students.
Unity council convener Md Anisur Rahman told 抖阴精品 that the teachers abstained from work at schools in areas like Sutrapur, Demra and Gulshan in Dhaka city.
In Barishal the strike was not been observed, he added.
抖阴精品 correspondent in Chattogram reported that assistant primary teachers across Chattogram and Rangamati districts observed the strike on the day.
Abdur Rahman, convener of the unity council for the Chattogram region, claimed that the teachers from all primary schools in the entire Chattogram district joined the protest.
鈥楢lthough students were present in classrooms, teachers refrained from conducting lessons,鈥� he added.
Md Kamrul Hasan, literature and publications secretary of the Bangladesh Primary Teachers Association, confirmed that the teachers in Rangamati district also enforced the strike.
Our correspondent in Rangpur reported that many of the teachers in the district joined the strike.
Hafiz uddin, an assistant teacher of Robertsonganj Government Primary School in Rangpur city, said that they observed the strike.
Teachers from Jagodispu Government Primary School in Taraganj upazila, Dakhin Kolkond Masterpara Government Primary School in Gongacahara upazila, and Alamnagar Station Road Government Primary School in the city said that they staged full-day strike.聽
抖阴精品 correspondent in Rajshahi reported that the teachers observed the first day of the strike partially in the district.
SM Afzal Hossain, head teacher of Jahanabad Government Primary School in Mohonpur upazila, said that the academic activities of their school were normal on Monday as assistant teachers conducted their classes.
Akleema Khatun, head teacher of Nawdapara Government Primary School in Rajshahi city, told 抖阴精品 that her assistant teachers conducted classes partially.
In many schools, including Atkoshi High School in Rajshahi city and Khanpur Government Primary School in Bagha upazila, no classed were held on the day as the teachers staged the strike.
Earlier, the teachers staged one-hour work abstention between May 5 and 15, two-hour work abstention between May 16 and 20, and half-day work abstention between May 21 and 25.
According to the Annual Primary School Census 2023, the country has 65,567 government primary schools and 3,19,625 assistant teachers.
