Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith on Sunday told parliament that the monthly payment order (MPO) for educational institutions had led to slide in the quality of education.
Muhith came up with the anti-MPO statement in response to a question of Awami League lawmaker Abdul Matin Khasru who asked him whether he would release the Tk10b MPO for 900 teachers.
“The quality of education has suffered because of the MPO system,” the finance minister told parliament during the scheduled question-answer hour for the ministers.
Earlier, on September 19, the education minister in absence of the finance minister told parliament that he was ready to release MPOs provided that the finance ministry granted necessary funds. Nahid has drawn flak from lawmakers several times for not releasing MPOs.
Another Awami League MP ABM Abul Qasem on Sunday took the floor and said the lawmakers had ‘lashed’ the education minister for not releasing MPOs.
“The finance minister has earned reputation for his skills but he can receive more compliments by granting the MPOs. Why isn’t he doing so?” said Qasem.
Fazle Rabbi Miah, another Awami League MP, made similar observation.
“I do understand the interests of the MPs in the MPOs. I can consider the issue but not the outcome,” said Muhith.
During the scheduled question-answer hour for the ministers on September 19, senior Awami League MP Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim stood up for making a supplementary question on the MPOs of the private schools, colleges and madrasas.
He said the government had achieved remarkable successes in the educational sector over the last four and half years.
“But the successes are overshadowed by the delay in releasing the money,” said Selim.
He said the education ministry had estimated annual expenditure of Tk10b per year for providing MPOs to 900 teachers of the non-government schools, colleges and madrasas.
“Tk10b is a paltry amount against our national budget of over Tk2000b. The finance minister has left; he should have listened to us. He must release the funds.”
Many of the teachers are starving. So the finance minister must release the funds for the MPOs. This is the sentiment of the House, he noted.
The attending MPs shouted ‘yes’ in chorus as Sheikh Selim asked the lawmakers: “Don’t you want MPOs?”
