Dinajpur Correspondent:

More than half of government primary schools in Dinajpur are running without headmasters, disrupting both administrative discipline and the quality of education.

Out of 1,869 primary schools in the district, 938 are currently without headmasters, according to the District Primary Education Office.

The problem started when during 2013-14 period, at least 138 cases were filed across the country by assistant teachers to be promoted as headmasters instead of recruiting new ones.

Dinajpur Assistant District Primary Education Officer Md Saifuzzaman admitted the difficulty. “Until the cases are resolved, promotions cannot be granted nationwide. But once it is, we expect vacancies will be filled quickly,” he said, adding that efforts were ongoing to uphold education standards.

All 13 upazilas are affected, with some facing alarming shortages.

Chirirbandar has 115 vacancies out of 199 schools, Birganj 118 out of 230, and Parbatipur 105 out of 206. Even in Dinajpur Sadar, 54 of 186 schools are without head teachers.

Under existing rules, 65 percent of vacancies are filled through promotion and 35 percent through direct recruitment.

Members of the Bangladesh Primary Teachers’ Association in Dinajpur say frustration is growing.

“Many have been working for 20 to 25 years without promotion. The new recruitment circular has only deepened our frustration,” said committee member secretary Md Matiar Rahman.

He demanded cancellation of the circular and promotion for all assistant teachers based on seniority.

In many schools, senior assistant teachers are acting as head teachers but struggle to exercise authority.

“Since we hold the same rank, colleagues often do not follow instructions, hampering both administration and teaching,” said Md Golam Faruk, acting head teacher of Uttar Gobindapur Government Primary School in Sadar.

Pulhat Government Primary School head teacher Md Zakir Hossain added that crucial teaching, including fifth-grade scholarship classes, was being disrupted.

Dinajpur Sadar Primary Teachers’ Association president ATM Tofayel Hossain echoed the concern.

Parents also expressed frustration. “Our school struggles to run classes properly due to a shortage of teachers,” said guardian Liza Akter.