Education ministry opens transfers for MPO-listed school, college teachers

The Ministry of Education has issued a new policy allowing teachers under the Monthly Pay Order (MPO) scheme to transfer between private schools and colleges, introducing a centralised, online system to manage vacancies and applications.

If vacancies exist in the same post, applications will be accepted, transfer orders issued, and joining at the new workplace will be completed within the specified timeframe through an annual notification.

Under the new policy, private school and college teachers can apply for transfers, but teachers in madrasas and technical education institutions are not currently included.

On Dec 19, 2024, a policy was issued allowing transfer of teachers “recommended by the Non-Government Teachers Registration and Certification Authority (NTRCA)”, but the teachers did not get the opportunity to transfer due to “different complications”.

The new policy has abolished the activities of the previous one.

Teachers appointed on the recommendation of governing bodies before 2015 went to court after being denied the opportunity to transfer.

Currently, the NTRCA recommends candidates for MPO-listed educational institutions based on subject-wise registration.

Since 2016, it has been collecting vacancy information and recommending candidates who have passed its teacher registration examinations.

Before 2015, the appointment process was handled by institutional committees or boards of directors.

The new policy is the third one that gives transfer opportunities to MPO-affiliated teachers. In the previous two policies, all teachers did not get transfer opportunities.

The ministry said the new policy will be effective immediately.

TRANSFER PROCESS

The “Transfer Policy 2026 for MPO-affiliated Teachers Working in Private Educational Institutions (Schools, Colleges) Through Automated Software” outlined the process:

Teachers will be allowed to apply for transfer to their own district. If there is no vacancy, they may apply against vacancies in any district within their division.

Teachers may also seek transfer to their spouse’s workplace. However, those who are under MPO closure, temporarily suspended, or facing criminal charges will not be eligible for transfer.

A teacher may be transferred up to three times during their career and will be eligible to apply after completing two years of service.

After each transfer, they must work at the new institution for at least two years before applying again.

A maximum of two teachers will get the opportunity to transfer from one institution in a year.

Teachers can include the names of three institutions in the transfer application. More than one teacher from the same subject will not be eligible for transfer.

If multiple applications are received for a vacancy, priority will be given on the basis of seniority, gender, and location. Seniority will be determined as per the latest MPO policy.

If applicants are from the same Upazila, priority will be given based on the distance between their current and desired Upazilas.

If applicants are from different Upazilas or districts, priority will be determined by measuring the distance between district centres, following the Ministry of Public Administration’s model.

Incomplete or incorrect information will not be considered, and intentionally providing incorrect information will be considered a punishable offence.

The DSHE will take the initiative to complete the teacher transfer process before the NTRCA’s appointment recommendation process.

The DSHE chief will settle the transfer application under the supervision of the Secondary and Higher Education Division.

The entire transfer process will be completed through the prescribed automated software.

With the approval of the Secondary and Higher Education Division, the directorate will develop the software and determine the application format.

In cases of exchanges, authorities will act on written applications, ensuring continuity of MPO, other benefits, and seniority.

Institution heads must release transferred teachers within 10 days of the order, and teachers must join their new workplace within 10 days of release.