Temporary teachers and employees of five secondary schools funded by as many state-owned jute mills are staring at a bleak future as the government is now going to shut those mills down in Khulna region.
They say a total of 60 teachers and 10 employees are employed in these schools on a temporary basis. Their salaries are funded by earnings from Crescent, Platinum, Star, Eastern and JJI mills in the region.
Despite having been working for these schools for 15 to 20 years, many of these teachers and employees have not been made permanent, they added, UNB reports.
Raja Khan, an assistant teacher at the state-owned Star Jute Mill High School, said he has been working on a temporary basis since January 25, 2012. His job is yet to be regularised.
“I don't know what our fate is as the mill is closed,” he said with frustration.
Shirina Khanam, a teacher at Platinum Jute Mill Secondary School, said she has been teaching since September 2000 but has not been made permanent.
She said they hear that they will be left out of the MPO scheme.
The teachers have requested the Prime Minister to regularise their jobs.
Abul Kalam Azad, project head of Star Jute Mill, said a list of permanent teachers has been sought by Bangladesh Jute Mill Corporation (BJMC).
Citing that they also wrote about the temporary teachers, he said, “Now it’s up to BJMC.”
Meanwhile, a memorandum has been sent to the Prime Minister through Khulna Deputy Commissioner on July 15 demanding that the jobs of the temporary employees be regularised.
The memorandum says 40 temporary teachers and staff have been working in the state-owned Crescent, Platinum and Star Jute Mill schools in Khulna for 10 to 15 years.
Their families would suffer much if they lose their jobs now, it adds, requesting the Prime Minister to include those schools’ temporary teachers and employees in the MPO scheme.
Worries about the fate of the non-permanent teachers and employees of these schools have emerged, as there are doubts about continuing the operation of the schools funded by the earnings from the to-be-closed jute mills.
Notably, the state minister for jute has assured the permanent teachers of these schools of registering them in the MPO scheme.