669 pry schools in Rangpur sans head teachers

A total of 669 of the 1,455 government primary schools in Rangpur district are being operated without head teachers, affecting administrative activities and classroom teaching.

For years, assistant teachers have been assigned as acting head teachers at the schools. Teachers concerned say the arrangement has created administrative complications, while existing teacher shortages are also disrupting regular classes.

According to the Rangpur District Primary Education Office, the vacancies are spread across all eight upazilas. Of the 115 government primary schools in Kaunia, 50 have vacant head teacher posts.

The number is 60 out of 178 in Gangachara, 56 out of 75 in Taraganj, 125 out of 236 in Pirganj, 94 out of 178 in Pirgachha, 110 out of 176 in Badarganj, 146 out of 275 in Mithapukur and 28 out of 222 in Rangpur Sadar.

Teachers in Pirgachha, Mithapukur, Gangachara and Kaunia said the promotion process for head teacher posts had remained stalled for several years due to lawsuits filed by a section of teachers from nationalised non-government primary schools.

The teachers had claimed seniority and sought appointment or promotion to head teacher posts.
With no permanent head teachers, assistant teachers are being given acting responsibilities. Teachers said colleagues do not always readily accept instructions from an acting head teacher who officially remains an assistant teacher.

This has created problems in administrative coordination and official work.

The absence of head teachers has also reduced opportunities for leadership and administrative training, teachers said. As a result, administrative activities in some schools have slowed, while teaching has also been affected.

Anisur Rahman, acting head teacher of Shibbazar Government Primary School in Mithapukur, said he had been performing the additional responsibility since 2025. Three assistant teacher posts are also vacant at his school.

“I have to take classes as an assistant teacher while also performing the duties of acting head teacher. I often have to stay outside the school for administrative work. Due to the teacher shortage, we cannot conduct classes properly, and the number of students has also declined,” he said.
Anisur also said assistant teachers were neither being promoted to head teacher posts nor were new head teachers being appointed.

“Although I am performing the duties of a head teacher, I am still an assistant teacher. As a result, other teachers sometimes hesitate to follow my instructions. This problem needs to be resolved quickly,” he said.

Amipur Government Primary School in Mithapukur has also been without a permanent head teacher for several years. Although more than 100 students are enrolled, local residents said only around 30 to 40 students attend classes regularly.

Locals alleged that many people had stopped sending their children to the school as the acting head teacher had failed to maintain discipline. However, acting head teacher Muhibul Hasan denied the allegation, saying the school’s daily activities were running smoothly. He claimed that an interest group in the area was spreading misinformation about the institution.

An assistant teacher of Shibbazar Government Primary School, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the number of teachers at the school had fallen by one since the acting head teacher assumed the additional responsibility.

“Due to the teacher shortage, it is not possible to conduct classes properly even when we want to. The number of students has gradually declined.

The problem needs an urgent solution,” the teacher said.

Shahidul Islam, president of the Mithapukur upazila unit of the Bangladesh Primary Teachers’ Association and head teacher of Imadpur Government Primary School, said there had been no recruitment circular for head teacher posts for a long time.

“Many teachers have retired during this period, increasing the number of vacant posts. In the absence of head teachers, assistant teachers are not receiving proper guidance to improve the quality of education,” he said.

Rangpur District Primary Education Officer Md Nazrul Islam said teachers were being deputed from other schools to keep institutions without head teachers running.

“Even then, normal activities are being disrupted. Acting head teachers are performing the duties of head teachers while their assistant teacher posts are also retained. They are essentially assistant teachers. In reality, the number of vacant head teacher posts is higher than the official figure,” he said.
He said the shortage was also forcing teachers to take multiple classes.

According to Nazrul Islam, the lawsuits filed by teachers from nationalised non-government primary schools over seniority had remained pending in court for a long time.

“Recently, the ministers took initiatives to expedite the disposal of the case, and the court subsequently dismissed it. The process of sending a list of assistant teachers currently performing acting duties to the Public Service Commission for promotion to head teacher posts is underway. An order will then be issued. I hope the process will be completed soon,” he said.

The district primary education officer said the lawsuit had been the main reason the promotion process remained suspended for so long, resulting in the current shortage.
He added that 387 assistant teachers had been selected for appointment in Rangpur district and were awaiting postings. Their joining on October 1 would help reduce the teacher shortage to some extent, he said.