Edu turned into business under previous govt: Tuku

State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Sultan Salahuddin Tuku has accused the previous government of turning education into a business instead of improving its quality, while assuring the Hindu community that ensuring security during Durga Puja was a top priority for the government.

He made the remarks at two separate events in Tangail on Friday.

Speaking at a meeting organised by government secondary school teachers to mark World Teachers’ Day, Tuku alleged that the previous government had used educational institutions for financial gain and recruited teachers on political considerations rather than merit.

“Their focus was on establishing educational institutions and taking Tk 10 lakh to Tk 15 lakh in bribes from people in exchange for jobs. They turned education into a commercial process,” he said.

Describing teaching as an idealistic profession, Tuku said teachers played a vital role in nation-building. He urged them to put the interests of their institutions and students above their personal political beliefs.

Referring to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s position on public servants, the state minister said government employees should be judged by their performance, not their political identity.
He urged teachers to discharge their professional and moral responsibilities with a strong sense of patriotism.

The meeting discussed ways to improve educational quality, infrastructure problems in government secondary schools, and the protection of teachers’ professional dignity and rights.