In 2006, a Polytechnic Institute was established in Lakshmipur to expand technical education and develop a skilled workforce. The institution has 124 approved teacher positions, but only 22 are currently employed. Additionally, under the Skills and Training Enhancement Project, three teachers and 10 part-time instructors are employed. Due to the lack of adequate teaching staff and necessary equipment, theoretical and practical classes are not conducted on time, hampering quality technical education.
Teachers report that managing classes for 1,800 students with limited staff is challenging. Regular theoretical and practical classes cannot be conducted. Only two teachers are employed in the civil department, whereas 24 are required. In the Architecture Department, there are no regular teachers, against the need for 12. Although two teachers from the Skills and Training Enhancement Project are present, they have not received salaries for 53 months.
Junior Instructor Sajjadul Hasan of the Civil Department told Bonik Barta, “Like the other 50 polytechnic institutes across the country, Lakshmipur Polytechnic Institute also faces a severe teacher shortage. The Civil Department has around 600-800 students, requiring 24 teachers, but only two are employed. While there are a few part-time instructors, they are insufficient. Especially in theoretical and practical classes, effective and timely teaching is significantly disrupted.” He also pointed out that although written and oral exams for the instructor and junior instructor positions were conducted by the Bangladesh Public Service Commission (PSC), the results have been delayed. He urged the prompt publication of results to address the shortage.
A similar situation exists in the Architecture Department, where only three teachers appointed under the Skills and Training Enhancement Project are managing the workload meant for 12 teachers.
Junior Instructor Abu Obaida from the Architecture Department said, “We were appointed as instructors in 2015 under the project. Despite the need for 12 teachers in the department, only the three of us are managing the education activities. Completing one shift’s classes and then preparing for the next is exhausting. On top of that, there are unpaid salaries for 53 months.”
Junior Instructor Yusuf Hasan from the Electronics Department, also recruited under the project, added, “How can a teacher’s family survive with 53 months of unpaid salary? The government approved the permanent appointment of project-based teachers in 2014. Yet, why haven’t our jobs been regularized? Teachers are supposed to shape the nation, so why are we kept in such a distressing situation?”
Students, too, expressed their grievances, saying they are not getting regular classes due to the teacher shortage and are often deprived of practical classes. Infrastructure poses additional challenges as well, as classes are held in risky buildings. Due to irregular classes, their academic progress is under threat.
Enamul, a fourth-year student in the Civil Department, said, “After my HSC exams, my parents dreamt of me becoming an engineer. But now, technical education has become a hurdle. I enrolled in the technical department to gain hands-on education. Our final exams are scheduled for November 10, yet we haven’t had a single practical class. Some instructors can’t even name the equipment in the lab. What will they teach us?”
Students from several departments, including Civil and Architecture, stated that part-time instructors conduct most classes. The skills of a part-time teacher are never the same as those of a teacher with MPO status. Consequently, they are not receiving quality education. Furthermore, broken equipment in the labs remains unrepaired as the administration waits for new equipment under project funding. As a result, they miss timely lab classes, which impacts their learning. Due to inadequate education, they fear they may remain unemployed even after completing their diploma courses.
Acting Principal of the Polytechnic Institute, Md. Zahirul Islam, told Bonik Barta, “Despite the teacher shortage, we are trying to ensure quality education. Currently, the Polytechnic Institute’s activities are managed by 40 teachers, including 22 in the revenue sector and eight part-time instructors. We have informed the authorities about the teacher shortage and other issues. Once this issue is resolved, the institution will regain its normal functioning.”