Dhaka, Oct 22 – Nearly nine years later, the non-government educational institutions are going to enjoy the Monthly Payment Order (MPO) perquisites as the government would announce it Wednesday.Education minister Dipu Moni on Tuesday said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina would officially announce the MPO facilities for the non-government educational institutions on Wednesday.
She said the teachers and employees would get the benefit from the last July. But she said from now on the government would provide MPO facility for the non-government educational institutions every year.
However, she warned that all non-government educational institutions which would enjoy the MPO facility would come under the scanner of the government.
If the educational institutions fail maintain the standard of education as per the MPO Policy 2018, the government would suspend the facility and the institutions would get it back when it would fulfill the criteria again, she said.
Dipu Moni came up with the comments while exchanging views with the journalists at the International Mother Language Institute in the capital. Deputy Minister of Technical and Madrasah education division Mohibul Hassan Chowdhury, senior secretary of secondary and higher education division Sohrab Hossain, among others, were present.
Dipu Moni, however, did not disclose the number of MPO for the non-government educational institutions. She, however, said “The number would be double compared to the last MPO. Prime minister would announce the number and other things.”
The government brought a total of 1,624 educational institutions under MPO facilities in 2010. Since then, it is stopped as it requires a huge amount of money.
When Dipu Moni gave the information of MPO announcement, hundreds of teachers and employees of the non-government educational institutions are continuing their sit-in and hunger strike programme in the capital with the demand not to announce the MPO following the MPO Policy 2018, which they term ‘inconsistent.”
Education minister urged the teachers and employees of these educational institutions to return to their institutions.
“I would urge the teachers to return to the classrooms. If they go on with their programme, it will ultimately affect them to achieve the standard for obtaining MPO,” she added.
“The educational institutions which will be included in the MPO facility have fulfilled all criteria of the policy and it has been done through strict verification,” she added.
Meanwhile, the leaders of the Non-MPO Shikkha Protishthan Shikkhak Karmachari Federation said they would continue their movement until they get any concrete speech from the prime minister.
General Secretary of the Federation Principal Binoy Bhushan Roy told Journalists on Tuesday, “As per our estimate around 5,242 educational institutions would not get MPO under the current MPO Policy 2018.”
“We protested the Policy when it was formulated but the government did not pay heed to our recommendations. So, we would continue our movement to realise the demand and would not return until we get any concrete speech from Prime minister on Wednesday,” he added.
About teachers fresh movement, Dipu Moni said, “When the government is going to announce the MPO facility, the teachers launched movement but they applied for MPO following the Policy.”
She said, “This government is education friendly. We have to improve the education system. We have more non-government educational institutions compared to government ones. So the government is providing benefits to the non-government teachers.”
The minister said only the recognition of the institutions is not enough for enjoying the MPO facility. “We have to see the number of students, teachers, results and other infrastructures for MPO. We have to follow a standard. That’s why we formulated the Policy.”
“The policy can be amended but under the current situation, there’s no scope to amend it,” she stressed.
“The institutions that would not get MPO will have the chances to be included in the MPO by fulfilling the criteria next year. The government’s incentives would continue,” she added.
“I hope the teachers would shun their programme. They would improve their institutions for MPO rather than staging programme,” she continued.
In reply to a query, she said, “They did not make the MPO list based on any political consideration. It is has been done through complete verification.”
The MPO was a long overdue demand of the non-government educational institutions after the last MPO in 2010. On different occasions, the teachers and employees demanded of the government through various programme including hunger strike.
Finally the government assured them of MPO and formulated the MPO policy 2018 and called for application through online. The institution authority submitted their papers through online.
Ministry received 9,500 applications from different educational institutions through online. Later, different committees of education minister scrutinise it and made a short list for final approval.
Dipu Moni said, “We have taken some time for making the list. We have done it for proper verification for accuracy. Now, PM will announce it.” – Staff Reporter
