A commentary by Dr Mahbubur Razzak calls for strengthening Bangladesh’s Non-Government Teachers’ Registration and Certification Authority, or NTRCA, rather than returning teacher recruitment powers at MPO-listed secondary private institutions to school managing committees. The education minister has said no decision has been made and that the matter has only been discussed. Education stakeholders and students at Dhaka University and other universities have voiced concern and protested the reported possibility.

The writer says NTRCA has shortcomings, including bureaucratic complexity, delays, opacity, corruption allegations and administrative inefficiency, but still runs a comparatively transparent, merit-based recruitment process. He argues that committee-led hiring could increase risks of financial corruption, nepotism and political considerations, while many committees lack the capacity to assess merit independently.

The article urges reforms to reduce lengthy recruitment delays and recommends considering candidates’ home addresses and language issues when making appointments. It cites average SSC pass rates of 68.45 percent in 2025 and 62.25 percent in 2026, linking merit-based teacher hiring to progress. It suggests managing committees could instead recruit head teachers, assistant head teachers and staff because of local administrative needs.