The Upazila Primary Education Office in Bera, Pabna has issued show cause notices to headteachers and assistant teachers of 50 government primary schools for failing to meet targets under the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) programme.
Upazila Primary Education Officer Saiful Islam confirmed the notices, signed and issued on Sunday. News of the action caused a stir in the upazila.
Schools receiving notices include Rupganj, Aknai, Komarpur, Shyampur, Char Natibpur, Puran Masumdia, Notun Mirpur, Ratanganj, Dhalarchar, Khash Dhalarchar, Ram Narayanpur, Masumdia Kazipara, Mahishakhola, Durgapur and Sinduria government primary schools among others.
Under a 180-day action plan, schools were required to ensure Bengali reading skills for class three students with basic arithmetic (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division) for class four and fluent English reading for class five by June 30. The notices state that despite repeated instructions and supervision but teachers failed to take effective steps to meet these goals. They have been given three working days to explain in writing why departmental action should not be taken against them.
An education office official said the government attaches special importance to the FLN programme and has decided to hold teachers accountable for missed targets.
Some teachers are speaking anonymously, cited teacher shortages of extra administrative duties in remote locations with poor transport of irregular student attendance and insufficient parental support as obstacles. They said they would address these issues in their written responses.
Saiful Islam said the exact number of teachers affected ranging from three to four or more per school would require checking office records. Further action will follow if responses are unsatisfactory.
