More than half of the government primary schools in Khulna Division are operating without head teachers, creating challenges for academic management and administrative activities.
Of the division’s 8,165 government primary schools, 4,405 have vacant head teacher posts, meaning 53.94% of schools do not have permanent heads, according to the Primary Education Directorate.
Among these schools, 1,348 are currently being managed by assistant teachers serving as acting head teachers.
Md Shariful Islam, deputy director of primary education in Khulna Division, said the shortage exists across all 10 districts of the division.
“Of the total schools, 4,405 have vacant head teacher posts,” he said.
The number of schools without head teachers is 605 in Khulna, 672 in Bagerhat, 468 in Satkhira, 691 in Jashore, 523 in Jhenaidah, 271 in Magura, 415 in Kushtia, 287 in Chuadanga, 320 in Narail and 153 in Meherpur.
Assistant teachers are performing acting head teacher duties in 1,348 schools, including 301 in Jessore, 255 in Satkhira, 188 in Bagerhat and 131 in Khulna.
Khulna District Primary Education Officer Sheikh Ahidul Alam said 605 out of 1,159 government primary schools in the district are without head teachers.
The highest number of vacancies is in Dumuria, where 113 schools have no head teacher, followed by Koyra with 85 schools and Paikgachha with 73 schools.
Other affected areas include Khulna Sadar with 56 schools, Dakop 55, Batiaghata 52, Rupsha 37, Phultala 39, Terokhada 62 and Dighalia 33.
Sheikh Ahidul Alam said documents for promoting eligible assistant teachers to head teacher positions have already been sent to the Directorate of Primary Education.
“Once the recruitment and promotion process is completed through the Bangladesh Public Service Commission and the Directorate, the vacant posts can gradually be filled,” he said.
He added that around 300 schools in Khulna were assigned acting head teachers in 2018, but the number has declined due to retirement and death of teachers.
Koyra upazila is among the worst affected areas, with 85 out of 142 government primary schools operating without head teachers.
According to the upazila primary education office, these schools have 22,806 students.
Officials said no head teacher has been appointed to any primary school in Koyra since 2013.
Several schools, including Gobra Ghatakhali Government Primary School, Uttar Madinabad Government Primary School, Swarnakali Government Primary School and Srirampur Government Primary School, are currently without permanent heads.
The upazila also has 42 vacant assistant teacher posts.
Habibur Rahman, a resident of Gobra village whose son studies at Gobra Ghatakhali Government Primary School, said the absence of a head teacher has affected academic activities.
“Teaching has been disrupted. A permanent head teacher should be appointed soon to improve the learning environment,” he said.
Acting head teachers said managing both classroom teaching and administrative responsibilities has become increasingly difficult.
They said preparing official reports, maintaining records, handling accounts and implementing government instructions often leave them with less time for teaching.
Md Billal Hossain, acting head teacher of Gobra Ghatakhali Government Primary School, has been performing the additional responsibility since 2023.
The school has 157 students and five assistant teachers, including him.
“Appointing a permanent head teacher would help improve the overall management of the school,” he said.
Officials said legal complications are also contributing to the prolonged vacancies.
Nurul Amin, acting head teacher of Swarnakali Government Primary School, said a case over the status and ranking of teachers from 10 schools that were brought under government management is still pending.
He said the unresolved case has created uncertainty over promotions and postings of teachers from those schools.
Students of Shyamnagar Government Primary School said some teachers cannot take regular classes as they are engaged in additional administrative duties.
The Koyra Upazila Primary Education Office is also facing manpower shortages.
Three of the five posts of assistant upazila education officers are vacant, while all four office assistant positions have remained unfilled for a long time.
Koyra Upazila Primary Education Officer Tapan Kumar Karmakar said acting responsibilities have been assigned to assistant teachers for 16 vacant head teacher posts.
He said steps have been taken to fill some positions, but legal complications have delayed the process.
