Honoured for excellence but deprived of salary
Tale of a teacher's 14-year service
Fatema Nurani, a teacher of AN Sammilony Girls' High School at Niznanduali village in Magura municipality, receives a certificate as recognition to her excellent teaching at a function held in Magura town marking World Rural Women's Day on Saturday. Photo: STAR
Fateha Nurani Fatema, honoured at a function marking World Rural Women's Day for her outstanding performance in educating young learners, has never got any salary during her 14 years of service as a schoolteacher. Fateha, who joined as an assistant teacher for the senior section (classes nine and ten) of AN Sammilony Girls High School in Niznanduali village under Magura municipality in 1997, is still outside the payroll as the section is yet to be listed under the government's monthly payment order (MPO). Two other teachers of the school, Khan Rakibul Haque and Beloara Khanam are also in the same boat for over 13 years. “We honoured Fateha for her sincere service to educate the students despite financial deprivation for about 14 years,” said Abdul Halim, an organiser of the function arranged by 'Committee to Observe World Rural Women's Day' on Saturday. At the function held at the office of Rural Development Concern, a voluntary organisation for the welfare of women and children, three other women were also honoured for their exceptional performance in agriculture, stitching work and midwifery. AN Samilony Girls High School was established in 1995 and subsequently the junior section (from classes six to eight) of the school was enlisted for MPO. The school has now over 300 students but its senior section has remained outside the MPO listing although 14 schools and madrasas in four upazilas of the district got MPO enlistment in the financial year 2009-10. District Education Officer Ruhul Amin Khan, expressing regret over the teachers' deprivation, said, “The ministry is the lone authority to sanction MPO on the basis of local lawmaker's recommendation.” Lawmaker from the area, Prof Mohammad Serajul Akbar said he had given demand order letter (D/O) for the MPO enlistment of the senior section of AN Sammilony Girls High School but it was not sanctioned. Preety Roy, a former student of the school and now a teacher of a government primary school, said, “Fateha Nurani is my favourite teacher. Her sincere teaching made me fit to achieve this position. It is a matter of great regret that she still has to serve without any salary." Suraya Khatun, who got junior scholarship from the school last year, said she owes to Fateha Nurani madam for the success. During this correspondent's meeting with Fatema at the school, she said, “As I have been serving the school without salary for 14 years, my in-laws often try to prevent me from coming here. But my house is adjacent to the school and I cannot resist the urge to attend classes when I hear the school bell.” "My husband Abul Kalam Azad, a petty official of Public health Department, stands beside me however," she added. Rizia Begum, headmistress of the school, said, “I feel sad to see that Fateha returns home empty handed when the teachers of the junior section regularly withdraw their monthly salary.” "In spite of her financial deprivation, she always does her teaching with a smiling face, giving the impression of a truly dedicated teacher," she added.
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