Dhaka: The government is considering the recruitment of approximately 9,000 religious teachers in primary schools as part of its efforts to strengthen moral and religious education. Minister for Education and Primary and Mass Education ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon shared this information during a session in the Jatiya Sangsad (JS) today.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the minister was responding to a question raised by Md. Monirul Haque Chowdhury from Cumilla-6. Milon highlighted that the government has placed renewed emphasis on primary education and is preparing a series of reforms under a 180-day programme initiated by the newly-elected administration. He noted that primary education had previously received significant attention during the tenure of former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia and that the current government is once again prioritising the sector.
The government has already received directives to implement major changes to the primary education system, focusing on enhancing moral values and religious awareness among students. "Under our ministry, a proposal is under consideration to recruit around 9,000 religious teachers," Milon told the House. However, he acknowledged certain complications regarding the certification of teachers, particularly those educated in the Qawmi madrasa system.
The Education Minister explained that the subject of Qira'at (Qur'anic recitation), which many Qawmi graduates specialise in, does not formally exist in the mainstream madrasa curriculum. This creates administrative complexities in recognising qualifications. "The ministry is working to resolve these certification issues so that qualified candidates can be recruited as Islamic studies teachers," he said, adding that religious education would not be limited to Islam alone.
"We are moving forward by giving importance to the religious sentiments of followers of all faiths," he further stated. Earlier, Md. Monirul Haque Chowdhury raised concerns about what he described as deterioration in the education system over the past 15 to 17 years, despite improvements in school infrastructures.