Primary Directorate Directs Educators to Abide by Social Media Guidelines
The Directorate of Primary Education (DPE) has instructed all teachers and employees under its authority to strictly adhere to the Government Institutions’ Social Media Usage Guidelines while engaging on digital platforms. According to the directive, personnel are prohibited from sharing or disseminating any official information from their personal social media accounts. Similarly, they must refrain from spreading rumors or unverified content, violating the privacy of others, or engaging in politically or personally motivated campaigns. However, "responsible and constructive commentary is permitted," the directive clarified.
The order, signed by DPE Deputy Director and Chair of the Social Media Data Collection, Preservation, and Presentation Committee, Tapas Kumar Adhikari, was issued on June 18. It refers to the 2019 revised version of the Social Media Usage Guidelines for Government Institutions, published by the Cabinet Division, which outlines the dos and don’ts for employees of the Republic and aims to ensure necessary security and confidentiality.
To monitor compliance, a structured monitoring mechanism has already been established. As outlined in the directive, “Monitoring teams comprising seven members at the divisional level, and six members each at the district and upazila/thana levels have been formed to observe social media activities and take necessary action where applicable.”
The directive further noted that two meetings of the Social Media Committee have already been held, and the resolutions from those meetings have been communicated to the field level for implementation. It added that the monitoring teams must "observe and monitor various social media activities closely, organize monthly meetings, take necessary action where applicable, and report noteworthy issues to the central committee every month."
This is not the first initiative of its kind. In April 2023, the Directorate had already taken steps to monitor the social media activities—particularly on Facebook—of nearly 450,000 primary-level teachers across the country.
