Md. Nurul Haque

Aristotle said, “ I owe my parents for my birth, but I owe my teachers for my life.” We also know the poem of Kazi Kader Newaj, who elevated the dignity of a teacher to the peak of the Himalayas, seeing the son of the emperor of Delhi abluting the feet of his mentor by these invaluable lines’ Aj hote Chiro unnoto holo shikkhagurur shir, Sotti tumi mohan udar badsha Alomgir’ meaning “From today the head of a teacher is forever exalted. Indeed, you are the great, generous emperor, Alamgir”.

However, these maxims seem a chronicle as the teachers who are the blacksmiths of a nation sigh and sob desperately in an utter sense of identity crisis in the social milieu and for dire helplessness in defraying the burden of a minimal standard of life. Once outstanding toppers and front benchers at all levels of academia tread the other way when their fellow backbenchers with the low and medium results with a big guffaw and boisterous giggle walk passing with a swollen chest. When the VC of DU addresses a backbencher secretary as ‘sir,’ it harrows and bleeds our hearts in pain and disesteem.

The most intelligent scholars and researchers feel depressed in the fish market while bankers, garment employees, and corporate executives purchase the best and biggest fish. Their children and families dare to dine in mediocre eateries. When teaching professions are the last and enforced option for job seekers and medical and BUET-passed students who vie for BCS admins and police, it is really a sinister omen for a nation.

The reluctance of brilliant students from esteemed Bangladeshi universities to pursue teaching careers can be attributed to several profound and multifaceted factors. Foremost is the glaringly inadequate pecuniary remuneration that fails to commensurate with their intellectual acumen and academic prowess.

In stark contrast to the burgeoning financial prospects in corporate sectors, teaching is perceived as a vocation that is both under-compensated and undervalued in the sociocultural hierarchy. Furthermore, the profession is mired in bureaucratic inertia and institutional stagnation, impeding innovation and scholarly autonomy. The relentless administrative encumbrances, coupled with a dearth of research opportunities and academic freedom, further exacerbate the disenchantment among potential educators. This intellectual attrition is compounded by societal predilections that valorize more lucrative professions, relegating teaching to a subordinate echelon. Consequently, the nation’s brightest minds often eschew the academic vocation in favor of more remunerative and prestigious career trajectories.

To fully understand the disparities in salaries across various professions in Bangladesh, especially in teaching, we must explore how different sectors compensate their employees. Teacher salaries in Bangladesh have remained low for years, with primary school teachers earning a meager BDT 15,000 to BDT 30,000 per month, while high school teachers see slightly better wages, ranging from BDT 18,000 to BDT 35,000. University professors can make anywhere between BDT 30,000 to BDT 150,000 monthly, depending on their rank. This stark contrast in salaries clearly indicates the injustice in the remuneration of educators compared to other professions.

In India, the situation is similar, with primary school teachers earning around INR 20,000 to INR 40,000 (BDT 27,000 to BDT 54,000), while high school teachers earn INR 25,000 to INR 50,000 (BDT 33,000 to BDT 67,000), and professors can bring in INR 40,000 to INR 120,000 (BDT 54,000 to BDT 162,000) each month. However, the comparison with wealthier nations demonstrates the global inequality in teacher salaries. In the USA, for example, primary school teachers make between USD 3,300 to USD 5,400 (BDT 370,000 to BDT 610,000) per month, while high school teachers earn USD 3,750 to USD 5,800 (BDT 420,000 to BDT 660,000), and university professors command a salary of USD 5,000 to USD 16,600 (BDT 550,000 to BDT 1,840,000).

The story in Europe is similar. In the UK, primary school teachers earn GBP 2,100 to GBP 3,300 per month (BDT 350,000 to BDT 570,000), high school teachers GBP 2,300 to GBP 3,750 (BDT 390,000 to BDT 640,000), and university professors make GBP 3,300 to GBP 7,500 (BDT 570,000 to BDT 1,280,000). In Germany, primary school teachers earn between EUR 2,900 to EUR 4,600 (BDT 410,000 to BDT 650,000), while high school teachers make EUR 3,300 to EUR 5,000 (BDT 480,000 to BDT 730,000), and university professors can earn EUR 4,200 to EUR 8,300 (BDT 600,000 to BDT 1,200,000).

This significant investment in education in wealthier nations underscores the stark contrast in teacher salaries between countries like Bangladesh and the developed world. Teachers in Bangladesh are often paid less than professionals in other fields, such as banking, police, and administrative services. For instance, bankers at entry-level positions in Bangladesh start with a salary of BDT 25,000 to BDT 50,000, while mid-level managers can earn anywhere from BDT 60,000 to BDT 150,000 per month, far surpassing most teachers' wages.

Similarly, police officers in Bangladesh, starting from the constable level, earn BDT 10,000 to BDT 20,000, but their salaries increase as they climb the ranks. Inspectors or Superintendents, for example, earn between BDT 40,000 to BDT 80,000. Administrative officers in the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) enjoy even better pay, starting at BDT 22,000 to BDT 30,000 for entry-level roles, such as Assistant Commissioner, and can earn BDT 50,000 to BDT 100,000 at higher ranks.

The disparity becomes even more apparent when comparing teachers' salaries in private IT institutes to those of bankers and corporate employees. Teachers in private institutes typically earn between BDT 25,000 and BDT 60,000. At the same time, bankers and corporate employees, even at entry-level positions, generally start with salaries ranging from BDT 25,000 to BDT 50,000, with mid-level management positions offering as much as BDT 100,000 or more.

Thus, the gap between teachers’ salaries and those of other professionals in Bangladesh is glaring, especially when teachers play a vital role in shaping society's future. This disparity highlights the underappreciation of educators and raises questions about the prioritization of education in the country’s development agenda. Despite their critical contribution to society, teachers, particularly at the lower levels, earn significantly less than their counterparts in banking, police, and administrative roles.

Therefore, it is imperative to elevate the status and remuneration of educators. Providing other facilities and job securities, distinguished recognition of this profession, a high standard of recruitment, and autonomy in the working environment can attract toppers to this profession. This change is desirable and urgent, as it addresses the current state of the teaching profession.

The writer is an assistant professor of English at IUBAT and a PhD candidate at Universiti Putra Malaysia.