Teachers in Bangladesh at present are passing through a very difficult time in discharging their professional obligations in the backdrop of harassment, political repression and venegeance, termination etc. The Education Ministry is continuously violating the provisions at large, of the recommendations, especially of Nos 9,45, 46, 47, 49, 61,62,63,71,72,73,82,89,90,115,117,of``ILO/ UNESCO concerning the status of teachers.

Tactics are adopted to harass the targeted teachers and employees who fight for the rightful causes and aspirations of the teachers and employees. Charges and complaints are brought in such a that one gets a very bad impression at the outset and teachers and employees are frightened in a manner so that they can not raise their heads and voices of protest. Knowing that the charges cannot be proved because of their baselessness, a dilly-dallying tactic is also followed so that the incumbent especially the elderly persons who would retire within a year or two, cannot draw any benefit. There are many instances of foul play victimise, terminate, dislodge teachers and employees.

The whole education system is now faced with crises never seen before. The Education Ministry is taking decisions without any consultation with the teachers' representatives, in clear violation of the ILO/UNESCO Recommendations. Even a major decision to change the 43-year old existing secondary education system has also been taken without any consultation with the teachers' representatives and beyond the knowledge of the grassroots level teachers who are supposed to implement it.

Government claims highest allocation in education though the non-govt. teachers and employees get only Tk. 100 (less than 2 US dollars) as monthly house rent and there is no allocation for libraries and laboratories. Actually the allocation is decreasing every year in view of increase in number of educational institutions every year.

The National Front of Teachers and Employees(NFTE) submitted 8-point Charter of Demands to the government. Their demands include 10 percent enhancement of the initial government salary as per election commitment of the ruling party, reinstatement of 2000 teachers and employees terminated illegally and out of political vengeance, introduction of Service Rule for the non-govt. non-teaching employees, reasonable house rent, festival bonus and other allowances, implementation of UNESCO-ILO recommendations concerning the status of teachers. But the government has not initiated any step for alleviating the grievances of the teachers and employees.

Under the circumstances, the NFTE made written communications with the ILO and UNESCO headquarters based in Geneva and Paris. In response, the two international bodies under the United Nations have already apprised the Bangladesh Govt. in regard to violation of the status of teachers as approved by them. The last letter from ILO dated 11th July of this year has intimated that the allegations brought by NFTE will be examined and appropriate measures would be taken.

In America, former President Bill Clinton during his second term, called on the Congress to increase federal spending on education by one-fifth and urged Americans to put aside politics when it comes to children. "Education is a critical national security issue for our future and politics must stop at the school house door," Clinton said. But politicisation is so rampant in Bangladesh, that it is also very much there in the education sector, from recruitment to retirement of teachers, though there is no dearth of the cry for quality education. It is very relevant to mention what Jacques Delors said about this. International Commission on Education for the 21st Century headed by Jacques Delors has stressed in its report to UNESCO: "Improving the quality of education depends on first improving the recruitment, training, social status and conditions of work of teachers" "They need the appropriate knowledge and skills, personal characteristics, professional prospects and motivation if they are to meet the expectations placed upon them."

Teachers in Bangladesh observe the "World Teachers' Day" with the expectation and forward-looking conviction that teachers would be duly consulted in the educational matters, and their creativity and innovative ideas as well as their skill and experience fully utilised, by the authorities in the greater perspective and interest of human development. Teachers in Bangladesh today ,raise their voices high for implementation of the ILO-UNESCO "Recommendations on the status of teachers.

Prof. Quazi Faruque Ahmed is a Chief Co-Ordinator, National Front of Teachers and Employees(NFTE) and Secretary General, Bangladesh Federation of Teachers' Associations(BFTA).