Dhaka: The government has increased the house rent and medical allowances for teachers and employees of non- government educational institutions included in the monthly payment order (MPO).

The hike of allowances for several lakh teachers of non-government schools, colleges, madrasas and technical educational institutions will be effective from January 1, said Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid at a press conference in the ministry on Tuesday.

Now 456,590 teachers and employees of 26,047 non-government schools, colleges and madrasas will get taka 500 for house rent in place of taka 100 and taka 300 as medical allowance, which was taka 150 earlier.

Besides, 13,254 teachers and employees of 1,600 technical education institutions will also get the same facilities, the minister said.

"Today is a historic day for the teachers and employees of non- government educational institutions included in MPO," he said.

They did never get such facilities during the rule of any other governments in the past, he added.

Nahid said besides increasing the allowances, the government has included the post of assistant librarian in non-government educational institutions in MPO. The monthly allowance for 6,076 teachers of independent Edtedayi madrasas has been increased to taka 1,000 from taka 500.

The government has arranged an amount of taka 244 crore to meet the additional expenses for hiking the allowances, the press conference was told.

Replying to a question, the education minister said this increases in allowances for the teachers are not enough. If the trend of development is sustained, their facilities would be enhanced further in future, he added.

Ends/AMA/22/01/13