RAJSHAHI, Sept 03 (V7N) — More than half of the government primary schools in Rajshahi district are currently operating without permanent headteachers, leaving assistant teachers to shoulder a significant portion of administrative responsibilities alongside their teaching duties.

According to data from the Rajshahi District Primary Education Office up to June this year, the district has 1,057 government primary schools with an equal number of sanctioned headteacher posts. However, only 468 headteachers are currently in position, leaving 589 posts vacant.

As a result, more than 56 per cent of the district’s government primary schools are operating without permanent headteachers. In many of these schools, assistant teachers have been assigned acting or additional duties to manage administrative affairs.

Bagmara faces the largest shortage

Among the upazilas, Bagmara has the highest number of vacant headteacher posts. Of the 220 sanctioned posts in the upazila, only 75 are currently filled, leaving 145 vacant.

Godagari has the second-highest number of vacancies, with 89 posts vacant out of 165 sanctioned positions. In Tanore, 43 of the 128 sanctioned posts are filled, leaving 85 vacant.

Durgapur has 46 vacancies out of 83 sanctioned posts, while Puthia has 49 vacancies out of 90. Paba has 43 vacancies out of 83 sanctioned posts, and Bagha has 39 vacancies out of 74.

In Charghat, 32 of the 73 sanctioned posts are filled, leaving 41 vacant. Mohanpur has 40 vacancies out of 81 sanctioned posts.

In Boalia, 48 of the 60 sanctioned posts are currently occupied, leaving 12 vacant.

Discrepancy in recruitment and promotion

According to the District Primary Education Office, 80 per cent of headteacher posts are supposed to be filled through promotion, while the remaining 20 per cent are to be filled through direct recruitment.

Based on this ratio, Rajshahi has 844 posts designated for promotion. However, only 71 headteachers have been appointed through promotion.

The number of promotion-quota posts is 176 in Bagmara, 132 in Godagari, 102 in Tanore, 72 in Puthia, 66 each in Durgapur and Paba, 65 in Mohanpur, 59 in Bagha, 58 in Charghat and 48 in Boalia.

On the other hand, 213 posts are designated for direct recruitment under the 20 per cent quota. However, 369 headteachers are currently serving through direct recruitment, indicating a significant discrepancy in the distribution of appointments.

Assistant teachers carrying additional responsibilities

Due to the shortage of permanent headteachers, assistant teachers have been assigned acting responsibilities in schools across the district.

According to the district education office’s list, 157 teachers are currently performing the duties of acting headteachers. Of them, 34 are in Bagmara, 20 in Tanore, 20 in Durgapur, 18 in Mohanpur, 17 in Puthia, 15 in Paba, 12 in Bagha, 11 in Godagari and 10 in Charghat.

With no permanent headteacher in many schools, assistant teachers are required to handle a wide range of administrative responsibilities, including submitting government information online, attending meetings, communicating with parents, making administrative decisions and overseeing the school meal programme.

Teachers say these additional responsibilities are affecting regular classroom activities in some cases.

Md Abdul Oudud, acting headteacher of Bagsara Government Primary School in Paba upazila, said it was extremely difficult for an assistant teacher to manage all the administrative responsibilities of a headteacher.

“I am performing the duties as an acting headteacher, but it is extremely difficult for an assistant teacher to handle all the administrative responsibilities. Since we do not have full authority, it is not always possible to take some urgent decisions,” he said.

Nazmul Haque, an acting headteacher at Hatgangopara in Bagmara, said the responsibilities of a permanent headteacher and an acting headteacher were not the same.

“Many administrative complications arise while working as an acting headteacher. The government could appoint acting headteachers to permanent headteacher posts. We do not understand why they are not being relieved of their acting responsibilities,” he said.

Teachers hopeful of resolving promotion issue

Harun-or-Rashid, president of the Rajshahi District Assistant Teachers’ Association and general secretary of the Primary Teachers’ Association, said promotions had remained suspended for a long time due to legal cases.

“Assistant teachers are now being asked to submit their Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs), covering their performance evaluations for the past five years. We hope the government is working on the issue and that the problem will be resolved soon,” he said.

Rajshahi District Primary Education Officer A.K.M. Anwar Hossain said the authorities had informed the higher authorities about the vacant posts.

“We have informed the higher authorities about the vacancies. We hope the ministry will take steps to fill the posts soon,” he said.

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