A parliamentary body Tuesday suggested that the education ministry consult all stakeholders opposing provisions for imprisonment of teachers and owners of educational institutions guilty of unlawfully running branches of overseas institutions and unauthorised educational bodies and other offences.
At its meeting the parliamentary standing committee on the education ministry also asked the ministry to prepare a fresh draft of the education law within 15 days.
Its members unanimously recommended passing the Education Bill 2013 in the last session of the ninth parliament starting September 12.
Teachers have already warned of an agitation if the provisions for imprisonment were not dropped from the bill.
The government had initiated the bill in line with the education policy adopted to introduce a uniform education system in Bangladesh.
Committee Chairman Rashed Khan Menon Tuesday told the Dhaka Tribune: “We have suggested that the ministry finish the draft of the law within the next 15 days as parliament goes into session [on September 12]. It should consult with teachers and other parties and place a fresh law.”
He said a few committee members had suggested that the bill should use some other term rather than “Offence and Punishment” in the title of the schedule annexed to the draft law.
Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid told the Dhaka Tribune that his ministry would work in line with the recommendations of the standing committee.
The schedule of the Education Bill 2013 contains seven sections, stipulating jail terms from six months to five years for different offences relating to education.
The ministry prepared the draft and uploaded it on its website for feedback.
Menon said the standing committee had also recommended creating posts of education counsellors at all Bangladesh missions as the number of Bangladeshi students abroad was increasing.
Committee members Mirza Azam, Biren Shikder, Md Shah Alam, Ziaur Rahman and Mamtaz Begum attended the meeting at the parliament building.
