Home ›› 06 May 2023 ›› Front
Teachers and employees at many private universities are still receiving poor salaries as some of them do not have a salary structure while some do not follow it despite having the salary structure.
The lives of these teachers and employees of these higher educational institutions have become measurable as the country is witnessing a rising inflation rate and rising prices of commodities in the market.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has recently ordered all private universities to formulate salary structures in line with the national pay scale and ensure a standard salary for their teachers, officers and employees.
Sources said that lecturers in public universities and government colleges get Tk 35,000 monthly under Grade 9 of the national pay scale and the lecturers’ salary at renowned private universities is around Tk 50,000.
While the lecturers of MPO-affiliated colleges get Tk 22,000 from the month of joining and secondary assistant teachers get Tk 16,000, the assistant teachers of government primary schools also get a salary of Tk 16,000 soon after joining.
A number of private universities, including the top-tier ones, pay smart salaries but most of the private universities are still depriving their teachers and employees by providing very poor salaries.
A UGC investigation recently found that the First Capital University of Bangladesh in Chuadanga is paying only Tk 10,000 monthly to its lecturers and only Tk 30,000 to its professor-ranked teachers.
It’s also alleged that the Times University Bangladesh in Faridpur is paying a monthly salary of only Tk 10,000-12000 to its lecturers and Tk 15,000 to its professor-ranked teachers.
UGC’s Private University Division recently sent a letter, signed by its Director Md Omar Faruque, to all private universities asking them to ensure standard salaries for the teachers and employees and give the salary at least equal to the minimum grade of the national pay scale.
Section 43 of the Private Universities Act 2010 states that every private university shall prepare appropriate salary structure and employment regulations for its teachers, officers and employees and secure approval from the UGC.
In recent times, UGC has observed with deep concern that several private universities have not yet received statutory approval by formulating appropriate salary structures and employment regulations for their teachers, officers and employees, it said.
Also, some private universities are paying grossly inadequate salaries to their teachers, officers and employees that are practically inhumane, read the UGC letter.
Expressing concern, UGC said that it’s not possible to ensure quality teachers and education without a standard salary structure for university teachers and employees.
Under the circumstances, the minimum salaries of teachers, officials and employees in the salary structure of the private universities should be formulated in line with the national pay scale and ensured that they are not less than the national scale.
Requesting anonymity, a private university teacher told The Business Post, “We are getting very poor salaries compared to the public university but the government is paying no attention to this.”
“Apart from teaching, we also do different administrative works at the university but we don’t get a proper salary and benefits. That is why we are struggling with our families and inflation and rising commodity prices are adding to the already high pressure,” the teacher said.
UGC Member Prof Dr Biswajit Chanda told The Business Post that there are strict guidelines for the universities for formulating salary structures and following employment rules.
“Qualified and trained teachers ensure quality higher education. And without fixing the standard salary structure for university teachers, it is not appropriate to expect quality teaching from them,” he said.
The commission will take action against the universities if they do not follow the law, he added.
