Education Adviser Prof Chowdhury Rafiqul Abrar announced that head teachers and principals of private educational institutions will soon be appointed through the Non-Government Teachers Registration and Certification Authority (NTRCA) under government supervision, a move he described as a bid to "establish leadership based on merit" in the country's education sector.
He made the statement while addressing the World Teachers' Day program at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka on Sunday, organized by the Secondary and Higher Education Department of the Ministry of Education.
"Our goal is one that is to ensure quality, inclusive, science-based and humane education," said Professor Abrar. "Through the spread of modern science and technical education, we want to develop the young generation as skilled, innovative and globally competitive citizens." He further explained that the decision to shift recruitment authority from governing bodies to NTRCA aimed to promote transparency and eliminate irregularities in the appointment process.
Following a government workshop on September 30, NTRCA Chairman Md Aminul Islam confirmed, "It has been decided to conduct a government-supervised recruitment recommendation process for the posts of head teachers, assistant head teachers, principals and vice-principals of private educational institutions." A committee has been formed by the Ministry of Education to determine the method and authority through which this process will be implemented, though a final decision on NTRCA's operational control is yet to be made.
Highlighting ongoing reforms, the Education Adviser stated, "We have taken realistic and positive initiatives in response to long-standing movements and demands. The process of preparing accurate and quality textbooks has begun, and we are formulating NCTB regulations while working to upgrade UGC activities to international standards." He added that a search committee has been formed for the appointment of vice-chancellors, and that transparent recruitment mechanisms for key ministry positions are being developed through open application systems.
Professor Abrar underscored the government's commitment to ethical, environmental and humane education saying, "An educated person does not just mean one who reads books; an educated person is tolerant, responsible and humane. To move forward in tune with the world, we are emphasizing life skills, language education and professional skills. Our aim is to prepare students not only for exams but for life."
