NN Online:
Wahiduddin Mahmud – the outgoing education adviser – has announced a pay boost for MPO-enlisted (private) teachers. Festival allowances, entertainment allowances, house rent, and other benefits are set to increase.
He made this announcement during a farewell reception held on Wednesday at the Ministry of Education’s conference room to bid farewell to Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud and welcome his successor, CR Abrar.
Wahiduddin assured that efforts were made to accommodate teachers’ demands within the current and upcoming fiscal budgets. “We have tried our best in consultation with the finance ministry to address the demands, but resolving 15 to 20 years of deprivation in one or two budgets is extremely difficult,” he said.
He acknowledged the fairness of the demand to equalise private teachers’ salaries with public sector wages but noted the financial constraints. “While it is justified, how can we rectify 15 years of inequality with just one year’s budget? However, the process must begin, and we are taking the first step.”
Wahiduddin announced that festival allowances, entertainment allowances, house rent, and medical allowances would be increased starting from this year’s Eid-ul-Azha and would be further adjusted in the next budget. However, he refrained from specifying the exact amount, stating that provisions were already being allocated within the budget framework.
He also revealed the creation of a dedicated fund for teachers’ retirement and welfare benefits, with initial provisions made this year and further allocations planned for the next budget. However, he cautioned that making the fund sustainable would require multiple budget cycles. “Hopefully, within three to four budgets, this issue will be resolved,” he said.
Wahiduddin further highlighted mismanagement in previous funds, stating that retirement and welfare funds were placed in an insolvent bank, and some funds were diverted elsewhere.
Emphasising the importance of teachers’ welfare, he said, “Retirement and welfare benefits are the most legitimate demands of MPO-enlisted teachers. They have never protested or organised collectively, but I believe fulfilling this demand should be a top priority.”
