On August 28, 2025, the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education issued the Government Primary School Teacher Recruitment Rules, 2025, abolishing the long-standing 60 percent quota for women in assistant teacher recruitment. Under the new rules, 93 percent of posts will be merit-based, while only 7 percent will be reserved: 5 percent for children of freedom fighters and heroines, 1 percent for ethnic minorities, and 1 percent for physically challenged and third gender candidates.
For the first time, separate posts have been introduced for music and physical education teachers. Recruitment will take place at the upazila or police station level, with 20 percent of positions reserved for science graduates. Direct recruitment requires at least a second-class bachelor’s degree with no third division at any level, while promotion requires 12 years of experience along with training and permanency.
The 2019 recruitment rules that prioritized women candidates have been repealed. Education experts warned that removing the women’s quota could negatively affect gender balance among primary school teachers, though they welcomed the inclusion of music and physical education as positive steps.
Source: Prothom Alo
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