For nearly a decade, Anjan Chakraborty has walked into his classroom every day, taught students and checked exam papers but without receiving a single salary.
Since joining Bhoyrab Adarsha College in Jashore’s Abhaynagar in 2015, Anjan has continued teaching as a non-MPO teacher, while struggling to support his family without a regular income. His story reflects the reality of thousands of teachers at non-MPO institutions across Bangladesh, who continue academic activities year after year without salaries or allowances.
Teachers of non-government institutions need to get listed under the MPO system to receive basic salary and allowances from the government. Teachers not listed in the system have to depend on small earnings from the institutions and private tutoring or alternative jobs to survive.
This situation raises concerns that prolonged financial insecurity among teachers is affecting both their morale and the quality of education. Now around 40 and the father of a 14-month-old child, Anjan says managing household expenses has become increasingly difficult.
Anjan has been working at the college for years without receiving any salary. With a young child and a family to support, it has become increasingly difficult to make ends meet. Anjan also rejected the perception that non-MPO teachers are generally less qualified, stating that many people think non-MPO teachers are less skilled, but that is not true in most cases.
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Before joining the college, Anjan worked for a reputed English newspaper and a private language institute. Years of waiting for MPO inclusion have left him uncertain about his future.
The financial hardship of teachers is also raising concerns about the quality of education at non-MPO institutions. Professor SM Hafizur Rahman of the Institute of Education and Research said institutions seeking MPO status should be assessed not only against government criteria but also based on their necessity and capacity.
Institutions with genuine educational needs should be prioritised, while measures should be taken to prevent unnecessary institutions from being established. Syed Akhtaruzzaman, chairman of the Dhaka Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, described prolonged unpaid teaching as inhumane.
Most private institutions remain non-MPO, with 66,287 institutions outside the MPO system, according to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics’ Private Educational Institution Survey 2024. The demand for MPO inclusion from non-MPO institutions has continued for years.
Syed AZ Morshed Ali, joint secretary of the Private Secondary-3 section of the Secondary and Higher Education Division of the Education Ministry, said there was no update on the matter.
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For teachers who have spent years outside the MPO system, simply starting the inclusion process will not resolve their problems. They want institutions with genuine educational needs and active academic programmes to be assessed quickly and brought under the MPO system.
The government allocates Tk1,36,646 crore for education in the FY2026-27 budget, the highest allocation for the sector. The allocation includes Tk200 crore for bringing new educational institutions under the MPO system, but the implementation process remains uncertain.
Education has received the highest allocation in the country’s largest-ever national budget, equivalent to 2% of GDP. The budget also includes funds for various educational initiatives, but the fate of non-MPO teachers remains a significant concern.
As Anjan Chakraborty and other non-MPO teachers continue to struggle, it is essential for the government to take concrete steps to address their concerns and ensure that they receive the support they need to provide quality education, which is closely related to the issue of extortion in various industries.