Jatiya Party, independent MPs allege widespread corruption in education system

The opposition Jatiya Party and independent MPs today raised allegations of widespread corruption in the education system in parliament.

They said that there are various irregularities, corruption and discrimination in the education system.

"The level of corruption in education sector cannot be expressed in words. Nothing happens without money. For joining the MPO, you have to pay from table to table," they said.

They made the allegations while speaking at the cut motion proposals against the demand of the Secondary and Higher Studies Division for the financial year 2024-25.

Independent member of parliament Md. Abul Kalam said, "Corruption in education is severe and pervasive; it cannot be described in words. Nothing can be done without money; everything is being destroyed by corruption."

"Education must be saved from the clutches of corruption. In the interest of national development and progress, employment for 500,000 educated unemployed people must be ensured within the next year," he added. 

Education Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury responded to the other complaints of the members of parliament but did not say anything about the corruption allegations.

Md Hamidul Haque Khandker of Kurigram-2 Constituency said that the allocation for education is always behind the GDP target. There are various irregularities, corruption and discrimination in the education system, he alleged.

There are institutional, curricular and regional disparities. Field-level education officers have been in the same workplace for 5/7 years and are involved in various types of irregularities and corruption. There is a lot of talk about the new curriculum, he said.

Pankaj Nath of Barishal-4 Constituency said that recruitment of teachers through NTRCA is commendable.

However, if someone from Chilmari in Kurigram gets appointed in Mehendiganj in Barishal then he does not join.

"There are more problems in the hilly areas. Because of this, even after the appointment of teachers, the education programme is being disrupted. Regionalisation of this recruitment should be considered. Vacancies of teachers and education officers should be filled expeditiously."

He said the High Court barred the MPs from becoming president of managing committees.

He said that MPs spoke against it repeatedly and the education minister said the government would appeal.

Jatiya Party MP Hafiz Uddin Ahmed said that there has been a drastic change in the education system. There have been buildings but the quality of education has not changed, he said.

He said that for MPO inclusion one has to go to different tables. "Step by step table means step by step corruption."

Abul Kalam of Natore-1 Constituency said that corruption is everywhere. "No teacher is getting retirement allowance without money."

Nasser Shahriar Zahedi of Jhenaidah-2 constituency proposed to reduce the administrative expenditure and increase the expenditure on educational research.

"The state of research in our education sector is dire. Each university teacher is allocated only one lakh taka for research. The allocation for research needs to be increased."

In response, Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury said, since forming the government in 1996, the Prime Minister has started establishing agricultural universities and science and technology universities and began the first government allocations for research. 

"It is not true that only one lakh taka is allocated for research. Allocations for research are made from various sectors. Often, we see that even after properly spending the allocated funds for research, some funds remain unutilised," he added. 

Education Minister Mahibul Hasan Chowdhury also said that it is true that many people do not attend in distant places.

"Recruitment of teachers through NTRCA is recommended in view of High Court orders. This is a problem we have already identified. This is an obstacle that we are trying to remove by amending the law," he added.