Education adviser Professor Chowdhury Rafiqul Abrar has announced that the interim government is set to finalise the Monthly Payment Order enlistment of more than 2,600 educational institutions across the country, including general and technical institutions.
鈥榃e are finalising the list of over 2,600 educational institutions across the country for MPO registration,鈥� he said at his ministry at secretariat in Dhaka on Monday.
As part of the government move, the adviser further stated that Tk 200 crore had been allocated in the current fiscal year to include non-MPO educational institutions under MPO coverage.
鈥極f the amount, Tk 50 crore has been set aside for other expenses, including increased rent and bonuses,鈥� he said.
The government is also reviewing cases of institutions that failed to be included in the MPO process despite repeated applications and eligibility.
Reiterating that the objective of the MPO expansion is to advance the country in the field of technology, he said, 鈥楾herefore, special attention is being given to institutions promoting technical education that remain outside MPO registration.鈥�
He emphasised the need for political parties to prioritise technical education as part of their policy decisions.
The adviser said that if political parties jointly made the commitment that they would continue the MPO enrolment process and work to improve the status of teachers when they assume power, they should declare it publicly now.
鈥楾he government is trying to take steps to ease tensions and allow agitating teachers to return home,鈥� he mentioned.
A public declaration from political parties would reassure teachers that a broader national consensus has been reached on this issue, he also said.
An important meeting was also held with the Non-MPO Oikya Parishad at the ministry in which the education adviser chaired. Top leaders from various political parties of the country were present at the meeting.
Among the attendees were convener of the Gono Samhati Andolan Zonayed Saki, chairman of the Teachers-Workers Unity Alliance and BNP central organising secretary Principal Md Selim Bhuiyan, nayeb-e-amir of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Professor Mujibur Rahman and assistant general secretary of Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal Rajequzzaman Ratan.
