No profession can match teachers’ sacrifice: Education Minister

Education Minister Dr A N M Ehsanul Haque Milon has said the government is seriously considering introducing a separate pay scale for teachers, recognising their unparalleled contribution to nation-building. He stressed that teachers’ salaries should not be determined through comparisons with other professions, as their professional dignity and quality of life warrant distinct consideration.

Speaking at a national workshop titled Khelay Khelay Shikhi in Dhaka on Tuesday, the minister said discussions were under way on various proposals submitted by teachers’ organisations to improve their livelihoods. He said a completely independent salary structure could be formulated for teachers, adding that whether their pay is higher or lower, no other profession could be equated with teachers’ sacrifice and contribution to building the nation. He also underscored the need to enhance teachers’ social standing and professional excellence alongside their financial wellbeing.

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Milon also highlighted the acute shortage of teachers at primary and secondary levels, saying recruitment had been severely hampered since 2017 by legal complications, writ petitions and administrative obstacles. He assured that the government was working to end the prolonged impasse and complete recruitment as swiftly as possible. At the workshop, State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj advocated play-based learning to foster children’s critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, noting that 412 indigenous games had already been documented for educational use, while more than 700 additional folk games were being brought under structured rules for possible integration into the curriculum.