Why university educators are worried over the Prottoy pension scheme

Masum Billah :

In order to protest the government’s decision to mandate ‘the Prottoy Scheme’ for the teachers of public universities, they have announced the suspension of all classes and examination from 01 July 2024.

Public university teachers have been protesting against their inclusion in the Prottoy scheme since it was announced last March as they term it a ‘discriminator pension scheme’.

They have vowed to continue their protest till the withdrawal of the scheme. Those who will be appointed to government jobs from 1 July 2025 will be compulsorily included in the Sebak scheme, which will also cover teachers at government schools and colleges; however the benefits of this new scheme have not yet been finalised.

There lies a common perception that the university teachers occupy a distinct place of honour and respect in society who enjoy some freedom to express opinions on various issues that the government officials cannot do.

Hence, in terms of enjoying financial benefits from the state, university teachers should not be counted as equal partners with government officials— The University Teachers’ Associations express their demands in this way.

Twelve government institutions, including public universities, have been receiving pension benefits annually without Finance Division approval.

In the previous fiscal year, the finance ministry withheld pension deductions for eleven of these institutions, excluding public universities.

Following discussions with the Prime Minister and the announcement of the Prottoy scheme, the finance division has cleared the pension payments for these institutions.

Under the current scheme, employees are entitled to a gratuity as a retirement benefit at the end of service. When an employee retires, he/she receives a large sum as a gratuity.

Half the gratuity comes to the employee immediately upon retirement, and the rest is paid in instalments. For the gratuity, no portion of the amount is deducted from the salary.

Gratuity depends on employees’ position and number of years in service. According to an amendment to the Universal Pension Scheme Management Act, the Prottoy scheme will be applied to the employees serving all self-governed, autonomous, state-owned, statutory, or homogeneous organizations and their subordinate bodies who would join in such service on July 1, 2024.

With the intention to bring all citizens under the universal pension system the government launched four schemes in August 2023 such as the Probas scheme for expatriates, the Progoti scheme for private sector workers, the Surokkha scheme for self-employed and informal sector individuals, and the Somota scheme for low-income earners.

The intention of the government sounds at least superficially beneficial for the citizens. Why do the public university teachers then go against this decision?

The benefits in this scheme are significantly less than those in the existing pension system as the Dhaka University Teachers Association argues.

It also argues that this scheme will lead to a disparity between new and old university teachers harming teachers’ self-esteem.

This will create two classes of teachers in an institution, which is not at all desirable. Being a university teacher is not just about occupation; research is another important aspect.

Research helps knowledge, science, and the state move forward.

When there is a division between government employees and university teachers in the pension system, it will discourage meritorious students from entering this profession. This will hinder the country’s future education, research and development.

When talented and brilliant students lose interest to come to teaching, the quality of education will further deteriorate.

That’s a grave concern not only for the university teachers, it’s a serious concern for the entire nation as well which already experiences the brilliant students’ repugnance to join teaching service.

Currently teachers do not need to contribute any money from their monthly salary to receive pension benefits.

Retiring teachers receive a lump sum of Tk80 lakh-Tk81 lakh, which will not be available if they opt for the Prottoy scheme.

However, upon the launch of the Prottoy scheme, 10 per cent of the basic salary or a maximum of Tk5, 000 must be deposited. Under the existing pension system, if a pensioner passes away, their spouse and children receive a lifetime pension. But the Prottoy scheme does not offer such provisions. If a pensioner dies at the age of 75, their family will not receive any benefits.

The existing pension system offers many facilities that remain absent in the Prottoy scheme.

When the public university teachers and officials have come to the street to press home their demands, what will happen to the academic and other usual activities of the universities which already witness low quality education, session jam, chasing and counter chasing among the students wings and between the two factions of student wing of the party in power over financial matters or spreading supremacy putting all the activities into sometimes stalemate or at snail’s pace? If the Prottoy scheme proves beneficial for the university teachers, why was the matter not discussed or shared with them? University teachers belong to intellectual section of the society.

Any type of government decision prepared by the bureaucrats or politicians should not be imposed on them. Things must have been shared with them. All the public university administrations prove loyal to the government and they usually do not endorse most of the views expressed by the intellectual teachers.

But in the case of introducing Prottoy Scheme all have come under the same umbrella that clearly explains the scheme does not hold beneficial for the teachers and public universities.

The decision to introduce the scheme stands as a part of policy-making of the government and the Ministry of Education says that it cannot alter it or take a stance for or against it. Then what will happen? We may have to wait to see its consequences.

(Masum Billah is President, English Teachers’ Association of Bangladesh).