Parliament: Over 20,000 posts of head teacher are now lying vacant in the country's government primary schools, according to data placed by Primary and Mass Education Minister Mostafizur Rahman in Parliament on Thursday.

"A total of 20,516 posts of head teacher remain vacant in government primary schools," he said replying to an unstarred (written) question from Jatiya Party MP AKM Mayeedul Islam (Kurigram-3).

The recruitment to the vacant posts will be completed through Bangladesh Public Service Commission as the post was made second class one, the minister said.

PSC has already recommended the appointment of 898 examinees from the 34th BCS to head teacher post and published their names, he added.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid told the House that some 2,000 subject-wise posts of teacher remain vacant in the secondary schools across the country.

A process is underway for recruiting teachers against the vacant posts in secondary schools, he said replying to an unstarred question from Awami League MP M Abdul Latif (Chittagong-11).

The government will appoint teachers against the vacant post for the subjects of Bangla, English, Mathematics, Social Science, religion of Islam, Geography, Physical Science, Zoology, Commerce, Physical Education, Fine Arts and Agriculture Education, he added.

In reply to another unstarred question from AL MP Didarul Alam (Chittagong-4), the Education Minister informed Parliament that there are 134 universities --39 public and 95 private universities-in the country.

The cabinet has approved a draft bill for setting up two public universities in the country. The universities are Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Science and Technology University and Sheikh Hasina University. The bill is now awaiting approval from the President and Chancellor, Nahid said.