Education | Bangladesh | October 26, 2026
Subheadline: The 60th anniversary of the UNESCO-ILO recommendation on teachers’ status highlights the need for better pay, safer workplaces and greater professional freedom in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh needs a comprehensive teacher policy to protect teachers’ dignity, improve their financial security and strengthen the education system. The call comes as 2026 marks 60 years since UNESCO and the International Labour Organization (ILO) adopted an international recommendation on teachers’ status.
The recommendation was adopted on October 5, 1966. Its anniversary coincides with growing challenges for teachers, including heavier workloads, digital technology and the use of artificial intelligence in education.
Why teachers’ professional rights matter
Teachers do more than deliver lessons. They help students develop knowledge, values, creativity and a sense of responsibility. Their work also plays a central role in shaping the country’s future.
However, teachers in Bangladesh still face concerns over financial security, working conditions and their role in education policy. Their participation in decisions affecting their profession also remains limited.
The UNESCO-ILO recommendation covers several areas of teachers’ professional lives. These include fair salaries, social security, safe working conditions, professional development and participation in policymaking.
It also calls for professional autonomy, which means allowing teachers to use their training and experience when choosing teaching methods and assessing students.
The recommendation states that teachers should not be treated only as employees who follow instructions. Their professional judgment and creativity should be respected, while their performance should be assessed through fair and transparent systems.
Financial security is essential for teachers
Social recognition alone cannot ensure professional dignity. Teachers also need salaries and benefits that allow them to support themselves and their families.
Housing costs, medical expenses, children’s education and retirement security can create financial pressure. Without adequate protection, teachers may struggle to focus fully on their professional responsibilities.
The UNESCO-ILO recommendation says teachers’ pay should reflect their qualifications and social responsibilities. It also calls for a reasonable standard of living for teachers and their families.
Research by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), as described in the supplied information, indicates that teachers in many countries earn less than other professionals with similar educational qualifications.
This issue highlights the importance of treating investment in teachers as part of investment in education. Better support for teachers can help create an environment in which students receive stronger guidance and learning opportunities.
Lessons from Finland, South Korea and New Zealand
International experience offers useful lessons for Bangladesh. However, education policies from other countries need to be adapted to local conditions rather than copied directly.
Finland is known for its strong education system and public trust in teachers. Long-term investment in teacher preparation, professional training and classroom autonomy has helped establish teaching as a respected profession.
Teachers there have considerable freedom to choose teaching methods within the national curriculum. They also face comparatively less administrative pressure, according to the information provided.
South Korea offers a different perspective. Teaching has historically enjoyed high social status, and 86% of novice teachers reportedly identified it as their first-choice profession.
However, the figures provided also show challenges. Only 29% of teachers were satisfied with their salaries, while administrative work averaged six hours per week. These figures suggest that professional respect does not remove concerns about pay and workload.
New Zealand also provides lessons in teacher recognition and employment security. According to the supplied information, 93% of teachers had permanent employment contracts, while 51% were satisfied with their salaries.
Salary satisfaction reportedly rose by 16 percentage points between 2018 and 2024. Yet full-time teachers worked an average of 47.5 hours per week, with administrative duties, new policies and curriculum changes creating pressure.
These examples show that even established education systems face challenges. Bangladesh can learn from their approaches to professional trust, teacher training and employment security while considering its own needs and resources.
Six steps to strengthen the teaching profession
A comprehensive teacher policy, supported by clear legal protections, could provide a foundation for reform in Bangladesh. The proposed measures include the following priorities.
1. Ensure fair salaries and benefits
Teachers’ pay and allowances should reflect their qualifications, responsibilities and social contribution. Financial protection should also address their long-term security.
2. Reduce unnecessary administrative work
Teachers need enough time to teach, support students and improve their skills. Duties unrelated to education should not prevent them from meeting these responsibilities.
3. Improve professional training
Training should respond to classroom needs and continue throughout a teacher’s career. It should cover digital education, artificial intelligence, inclusive learning, student assessment and students’ social and emotional development.
Authorities should also assess whether teachers can apply their training in real classroom settings.
4. Make career decisions fair and transparent
Promotions, transfers, awards and performance reviews should follow clear rules. Teachers should have access to fair evaluation processes and ways to challenge unjust decisions.
5. Include classroom teachers in education policy
Experienced teachers working in primary and secondary schools should have a meaningful role in developing curricula, textbooks and assessment methods. Their direct experience can help policymakers understand students’ needs and classroom conditions.
6. Strengthen teachers’ role in leadership
Teachers’ organisations and professional associations should have opportunities to contribute to policy decisions. Qualified and experienced teachers should also be considered for leadership positions in education administration.
Together, these steps could help establish teaching as a profession based on expertise, responsibility and public trust.
A legal framework for teachers’ protection
The proposed reforms also include a comprehensive teacher policy, a Teacher Protection Act and an Education Act. Such measures would need to define teachers’ rights, responsibilities, professional dignity and security clearly.
A fair system should balance professional independence with accountability. Teachers need freedom to make sound educational decisions, but evaluation must remain objective and focused on improving teaching quality.
The 1966 UNESCO-ILO recommendation provides an international reference point for these discussions. Its 60th anniversary in 2026 offers an opportunity to consider how its principles can be applied to the current needs of Bangladesh’s education system.
Teachers’ development is an investment in the nation
The future of education depends not only on curricula, textbooks and technology, but also on the people who guide students every day. Teachers need the resources, security and professional respect required to perform their duties effectively.
For Bangladesh, the next step is to turn these priorities into practical policies that reflect local needs. Giving teachers a stronger voice, improving their working conditions and protecting their professional rights can help build a more effective and inclusive education system.
As the country considers its education reforms, teachers’ dignity and security should remain central to decisions about policy, funding and professional development.
