Playing different roles by Teacher Associations
Under the umbrella of various teachers association teachers get together and press home their demands or extract some benefits from the authorities concerned. Teachers’ association means for the welfare of teachers and mostly it means monetary benefits. In developing countries like Bangladesh, such kind of role played by the teachers association is not unnatural. Of course, such kind of role has convinced the society and state to think that teachers association means a wing of a political party of teachers. If the wing belongs to the party in power of the state, they are powerful and retain the ability to exert pressure and gain much more monetary gains. But these kind of enlightened people’s association particularly the people who shoulder the responsibility to prepare the future generation may contribute to the society and the education sector more pragmatically and differently without having any political colour and incurring criticism. This is applicable from primary teachers’ association to tertiary level
Teacher association can arrange cleaning competition, gardening competition among the schools within its jurisdiction and purview. Most of the schools are having big play grounds and land in this age of land scarcity but these fields remain unused several months of the year. Only in the months of January, February or March the fields are used. The rest of the time of the year the filed remains barren and unutilized. Many school campuses don’t have any flower garden. Flower gardens can enhance the natural beauty of the campus, attract the learners to institutions and supply the mental food to the learners, teachers and all concerned. Teacher association without obtaining white, golden or pink colour titles, can pay serious attention to the matter of making school and colleges campuses attractive. The campuses must be turned into a heavenly place where learners and teachers will feel an exclusive kind of attraction to work, stay and love.
Associations can establish cooperative society where poor students and teachers can work. They themselves can establish and raise funds to further contribute to the schools and community. The society expects something positive from the teachers. The financial constraint of the state proclaims its inability to give requisite amount of fund for the welfare of the teachers and education though honest desire harbours in the mind of the people dealing with education management of the country. Government’s inability and teachers’ demand invite friction between the teaching community and the government. Hence, the political colour emerges when the haggling goes on. Actually political parties can hardly give anything positive to the Teacher Associations. The associations must devise their own plans and programs to evince some innovative approaches to further go ahead highlighting the quality of education which stands as a chronic problem but remains almost unaddressed in the true sense of the term.
Teachers have an acceptance and a separate value in the society. They can utilize it as a capital. Many ponds and haors remain unutilized in the country. These can be brought under fruitful use of these unutilized places scattered in rural Bangladesh. Now, many can ask the question why teachers will bother about or hanker after these commercial projects. Yes, they should. Most of the time they try to extract financial gains from the government creating serious hindrance to academic affairs and they take tough measures sometimes like strike and not conducting examinations of the students. Not only that, their political colour has exerted negative impact on the society and among the students casting a slur on the whole teaching community. In Australia a Teacher’s Association has turned into a Limited Company. But in our country teacher associations hardly think of increasing their fund through commercial and creative activities of their own. They just press the government which actually does not afford to give them monetary benefits. If a teacher association becomes financially solvent, they can dedicate to their professional work and society will look at them with encouragement and appreciation.
Teacher Association can bring out a Bengali or and English weekly, Bi-Weekly or Monthly magazine or they can publish education journals regularly. If it is done, teachers’ development will happen automatically. Teachers and students hardly write anything creative. They will be encouraged to write something new and reflect the problems of education, solutions, innovative ideas and new techniques of teaching. Whenever, any seminar is arranged regarding education, the whole teaching community presses or blames the government. Yes, government is the guardian and should take the blame but it does not have the real capacity to bear so many burdens. Teacher community through their association can give positive contribution to the education of the country.
English and Bengali debate competition can be arranged by teacher associations to bring novelty in their service and developing their speaking ability in public. Though some leaders already have achieved public speaking quality, many teachers still have not mastered the art of talking and delivering speech in public. Speaking with correct accent, pronunciation and confidence is an integral part of teaching career. Some teachers just pass their days without thinking to improve these aspects. The teacher association has many scopes to give input in this gap. Workshop on education management and subject based workshop both locally and nationally can be successfully conducted by different teacher associations. Participating actively in tree plantation, family planning, killing mosquitoes’ campaigns will further bring positive impact and acceptability of the associations. Social and educational programs will enhance their face value. Standing beside the ailing communities during natural calamities and any other disaster will be highly appreciated.
The world sees some success stories of teacher associations. Ekntikrono is a deprived urban community in Kumasi, the second largest city in Ghana. This sprawling community’s single primary school ‘Kentikrono Metropolitan Authority Primary’ enrolled only 215 pupils in 1999. Mismanagement, poor quality teaching and poor relation between the school authority and community earned the title for the school the ‘ Lazy teachers’ school’ “In 1999 USAID became involved and executive members of parent-teacher association were trained in education approaches designed to help improve student learning and increase community support for the school’s activities. The teachers upgraded their skills in lesson, note preparation, use of teaching and learning materials and effective classroom management and then began applying these improved practices.; to bolster its role to support the school in providing quality basic education, the school committee learned how to prepare action plans and keep financial accounts. It also organized meetings with the entire community to discuss the need to visit the school regularly to participate in school activities and to provide the basic school materials and for their children. Now the school is doing far better and many parents have even withdrawn their children from nearby schools and enrolled them in Kentikrono increasing its enrolment from 215 to 495 in 2004. In harder subjects students are showing envious results drawing the attention of all many schools.
Parent teacher relations have also improved remarkably. They visit the school regularly to discuss their children’s performance and attendance. More than 100 teachers from other local schools have visited Kenitrono to learn its methods of lesson planning, school and class management and community relations. This change has become possible by the association of teachers and parents. Without doing any tricky politics, they utilized their talents for the real welfare of the school which is giving benefit to the stockholders of the school. A good news can be mentioned here in relation with this development that in our country CAMPE (Campaign for Popular Education, Bangladesh) , is trying to disseminate some quality education through the involvement of different teacher association of Bangladesh. Teacher leaders sometime are sent abroad by CAMPE to see for themselves how the associations of their countries contribute to the cause of education. They are trying to develop leadership quality among the teachers. In this respect, I want add one point that is subject based teachers associations can be developed to ensure quality and establish a healthy completion through the participation of various subject based teachers who will have divisional and national levels conventions as BELTA (Bangladesh English Language Teachers Association ) is doing. The subject based teachers association should be further strengthened to boost up the quality of teachers and it is the prime need of our education sector.
Many schools and colleges of our country don’t have any healthy and hygienic canteen to have tiffin and breakfast and any kind of refreshment. It’s a chronic problem in many schools and colleges . Students need to take tiffin or refreshment after continuous classes in the leisure period. But they don’t have any well arranged system of having it. As a result, they take food from outside shop and get sick. The food they take is not hygienic at all. School authorities cannot afford to look after this thing as per requirement. Some schools or colleges may have contracted caterers who don’t have hygienic sense as well. Keeping something clean and keeping it germ and disease free means quite different thing. Teachers association has serious scope to do many things here. They can locally establish a developed group of caterers who will ensure good and hygienic food in each school and college where teachers and some students can be given part time job. The benefit and interest will be used for the welfare of teachers and even sometimes for the poor students.
Now the question arises who will sensitize the Teacher Association of our country to play different role as they have developed a traditional role model. It is not an easy task to divert them from their long time stance. Any kind of change whatever welfare-oriented it may be incurs frowning and criticism. So, difficulties lay scattered at every step. Even, then change is a must. The present education authority of the country seems to be active enough to bring some positive change. With these efforts the good expertise of some NGOs can be shared and joined to have a better fruit.
Md. Masum Billah
Programme Manager: brac Education Program, PACE
10th floor, 75, Mohakhali, Dhaka1212.
Phone: 9355253(res), 01714-091431(cell)
Email: mmbillah2000@yahoo.com, mmbillah@dhaka.net
Showing posts with label 15 September 2010. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 15 September 2010. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Teaching Quality Improvement Project and PACE
Teaching Quality Improvement Project and PACE Work collaboratively
To bring a meaningful change in the secondary education in Bangladesh BRAC Secondary Education Program has been working with the government since 2001 and it started full fledged teacher training in three important subjects namely English, Mathematics and Science along with management training for head and assistant head teachers and members of School Management Committee from 2003. Teacher training is one of most important components of BRAC Secondary Education Program which is popularly known as Post Primary basic And Continuing Program in brief PACE Program. Only one sided or two sided approaches or endeavors cannot bring real change in this sector. Teacher training is a must to bring change in this sector which received utmost importance from PACE Program along with the government Project named Teaching Quality Improvement. The success and positive impact of BRAC training has invited the attention of the government and it has shown keen interest in extending further cooperation with BRAC and making more scope for BRAC.
Teaching Quality Improvement project’s goal matches with BRAC’S secondary education program. Both put emphasis on the quality of education in Bangladesh secondary school. TQI’s purpose is to provide quality in-service teacher training, including professional development opportunities that will improve classroom practice. Its overall objective is to offer integrated teacher education system. Training is an essential element of TQI project just like PACE Program. Extensive training and professional development activities are underway and will continue for the duration of the project. Participants include aspiring and in-service teachers, head teachers and members of School Management Committees showing the closest parallelism between TQI and PACE functionaries. Creating learner-friendly, secure and amenable learning environments is important to enable effective learning. This is why TQI is giving attention to physical access for disabled students, being sensitive to the needs of girl-children and female teaches and ensuring all students are proved an equitable education regardless of location, ethnicity or gender which PACE Program also shares .
In this era of globalization, education should prepare students with capacity to compete globally and ICT has been offering a good opportunity towards that end. Teaching method in our schools is mostly direct where teachers lecture and students listen in a passive manner. Teaching with the help of ICT provides scope for following interactive teaching method which tends to increase attentiveness of students in class. PACE Program wants to hold the interest of the students in the class by interactive and colorful teaching aids. It has developed Computer Aided Learning which has developed animations based on the national curriculum of English for grades nine and ten and Mathematics for grades six to ten, are available in CDs-the use of which are fold: as supplementary teaching learning resources and as students practice materials. The materials focus on enhancing students’ interest by presenting colorful animation and audio as well as interaction through visualization of events and problem solving activities. Student’s motivation is ensured as ample activities are provided for students’ engagement. More specifically Mathematics materials aim to develop students’ basic concepts and problem solving skills while English materials emphasize developing all four language skills namely listening, speaking, reading and writing. The contents in the CDs are used as teaching-learning materials in the classroom equipped with computers for the teacher and pupils. In the classroom teachers traditionally rely on direct teaching method where they mostly do the talking and pupils passively listen to them which hardly generate any interest among the students. They don’t feel any attraction to come to the class contributing to remaining very much irregular in the class and teachers also fail to retain the interest of the students. CAL materials promises the teachers to change their teaching approaches to a more attentive and more interactive one. Teachers have the option to familiarize the students with animated characters in the materials. Certain events have been animated to show the real life situation which teachers find useful while explaining problems. The colorful pictures of real life examples add to teacher’s advantage.
TQI has developed close cooperation with PACE through providing moral, financial and instrumental support to BRAC supported schools where BRAC launched innovative approaches to learning and mentioning activities. In each TQI supported school where CAL is in operation is given one computer with seven additional monitors. Each monitor can be used by seven students. One computer table is provided for the teacher which was bought from Dhaka and the tables for the students are bought locally. For backup for two hours each computer is given UPS. All these physical facilities have been ensured by TQI project and most credit goes to Md. Nazrul Islam, Project Director as the representative of the government.
A total of five teachers, three of Mathematics and two of English from each project school is provided twelve days training on fundamentals of ICT at BRAC Training and Resource Centers. With this twelve day ICT training, the teachers receive another 3-day training on how to use Computer Aided Learning materials in the classroom. In total prior to the commencement of each term, the subject teachers receive a one -day orientation on the CAL materials of the respective term. The students’ monitor is connected with the computer of the teacher with a splitter. Mathematics and English classes are held six days a week. Class duration is forty minutes i.e. within the usual routine of the school. There remain three schools in each project jointly ventured by TQI and PACE. At present two projects are running jointly meaning six schools located at Chaddagram, Comilla and another three Gazipur Sadar. The schools are Amandanga High School, Batisha and Dharmapur high school at Chaddagram. BMTF, Bhabanipur and Mofziuddin high schools are at Gazipur Sadar. TQI has also financed for starting another three projects in Gopalgonj, Bogra and Hobigonj in close collaboration with PACE. For launching mentoring activities Moulivibazar and Rajshahi have been selected and in each project there will be five schools. This encouraging cooperation of TQI and its active participation offer to bring potential changes in the schools.
Actually it is the encouragement from the government which led BRAC to launch mentoring activities in the selected schools since 2005 to develop the leadership quality of the students. Why this initiative. Teachers receive training for developing the students but students’ presence in the class registers irregular. Hence, most of the efforts may go in vain. Keeping this thing in mind BRAC started mentoring activities so that pupils can be made responsible, sincere and bloom their latent talents. Some visionary changes have come to the schools in which these activities go on. It has caught the attention of the government project Teaching Quality Improvement which has extended its cooperative hands and now vouched to work hand in hand with Brac.
After receiving six days mentoring training in BRAC Training Centers, students go back to their schools and form several groups to share their schooling problems. Students learn how to prepare for debate competition, prepare wall magazine which helps bloom their creative facilities. Mentoring schools have experienced the enhanced number of presence in the classroom. Teachers have to put fewer endeavors to bring the students into the classroom. On the other hand, dependence on private tutors has also lessened as they share academic problems as well in groups which are formed of weak and bright pupils proportionately. So far 36967 students of 1290 schools have received mentoring training from BRAC. Now TQI has volunteered to offer financial support to continue further the mentoring activities in schools so that students can really get the interest of coming to school and make school a really learning centre. The schools with CAL and mentoring support seem to be exciting enough to impart learning in a different environment. Both TQI and PACE work tirelessly to show a really a meaningful difference in these schools in respect of academic and co-curricular activities. Government and non-government partnership can really bring potential changes in the field of education which TQI and PACE joint venture has initiated to prove. Let us hope for the best.
Md. Masum Billah
Programme Manager: BRAC Education Programme, PACE
Phone: 9355253 (home), 01714-091431 (cell)
Email: mmbillah2000@yahoo.com, mmbillah@dhaka.net
To bring a meaningful change in the secondary education in Bangladesh BRAC Secondary Education Program has been working with the government since 2001 and it started full fledged teacher training in three important subjects namely English, Mathematics and Science along with management training for head and assistant head teachers and members of School Management Committee from 2003. Teacher training is one of most important components of BRAC Secondary Education Program which is popularly known as Post Primary basic And Continuing Program in brief PACE Program. Only one sided or two sided approaches or endeavors cannot bring real change in this sector. Teacher training is a must to bring change in this sector which received utmost importance from PACE Program along with the government Project named Teaching Quality Improvement. The success and positive impact of BRAC training has invited the attention of the government and it has shown keen interest in extending further cooperation with BRAC and making more scope for BRAC.
Teaching Quality Improvement project’s goal matches with BRAC’S secondary education program. Both put emphasis on the quality of education in Bangladesh secondary school. TQI’s purpose is to provide quality in-service teacher training, including professional development opportunities that will improve classroom practice. Its overall objective is to offer integrated teacher education system. Training is an essential element of TQI project just like PACE Program. Extensive training and professional development activities are underway and will continue for the duration of the project. Participants include aspiring and in-service teachers, head teachers and members of School Management Committees showing the closest parallelism between TQI and PACE functionaries. Creating learner-friendly, secure and amenable learning environments is important to enable effective learning. This is why TQI is giving attention to physical access for disabled students, being sensitive to the needs of girl-children and female teaches and ensuring all students are proved an equitable education regardless of location, ethnicity or gender which PACE Program also shares .
In this era of globalization, education should prepare students with capacity to compete globally and ICT has been offering a good opportunity towards that end. Teaching method in our schools is mostly direct where teachers lecture and students listen in a passive manner. Teaching with the help of ICT provides scope for following interactive teaching method which tends to increase attentiveness of students in class. PACE Program wants to hold the interest of the students in the class by interactive and colorful teaching aids. It has developed Computer Aided Learning which has developed animations based on the national curriculum of English for grades nine and ten and Mathematics for grades six to ten, are available in CDs-the use of which are fold: as supplementary teaching learning resources and as students practice materials. The materials focus on enhancing students’ interest by presenting colorful animation and audio as well as interaction through visualization of events and problem solving activities. Student’s motivation is ensured as ample activities are provided for students’ engagement. More specifically Mathematics materials aim to develop students’ basic concepts and problem solving skills while English materials emphasize developing all four language skills namely listening, speaking, reading and writing. The contents in the CDs are used as teaching-learning materials in the classroom equipped with computers for the teacher and pupils. In the classroom teachers traditionally rely on direct teaching method where they mostly do the talking and pupils passively listen to them which hardly generate any interest among the students. They don’t feel any attraction to come to the class contributing to remaining very much irregular in the class and teachers also fail to retain the interest of the students. CAL materials promises the teachers to change their teaching approaches to a more attentive and more interactive one. Teachers have the option to familiarize the students with animated characters in the materials. Certain events have been animated to show the real life situation which teachers find useful while explaining problems. The colorful pictures of real life examples add to teacher’s advantage.
TQI has developed close cooperation with PACE through providing moral, financial and instrumental support to BRAC supported schools where BRAC launched innovative approaches to learning and mentioning activities. In each TQI supported school where CAL is in operation is given one computer with seven additional monitors. Each monitor can be used by seven students. One computer table is provided for the teacher which was bought from Dhaka and the tables for the students are bought locally. For backup for two hours each computer is given UPS. All these physical facilities have been ensured by TQI project and most credit goes to Md. Nazrul Islam, Project Director as the representative of the government.
A total of five teachers, three of Mathematics and two of English from each project school is provided twelve days training on fundamentals of ICT at BRAC Training and Resource Centers. With this twelve day ICT training, the teachers receive another 3-day training on how to use Computer Aided Learning materials in the classroom. In total prior to the commencement of each term, the subject teachers receive a one -day orientation on the CAL materials of the respective term. The students’ monitor is connected with the computer of the teacher with a splitter. Mathematics and English classes are held six days a week. Class duration is forty minutes i.e. within the usual routine of the school. There remain three schools in each project jointly ventured by TQI and PACE. At present two projects are running jointly meaning six schools located at Chaddagram, Comilla and another three Gazipur Sadar. The schools are Amandanga High School, Batisha and Dharmapur high school at Chaddagram. BMTF, Bhabanipur and Mofziuddin high schools are at Gazipur Sadar. TQI has also financed for starting another three projects in Gopalgonj, Bogra and Hobigonj in close collaboration with PACE. For launching mentoring activities Moulivibazar and Rajshahi have been selected and in each project there will be five schools. This encouraging cooperation of TQI and its active participation offer to bring potential changes in the schools.
Actually it is the encouragement from the government which led BRAC to launch mentoring activities in the selected schools since 2005 to develop the leadership quality of the students. Why this initiative. Teachers receive training for developing the students but students’ presence in the class registers irregular. Hence, most of the efforts may go in vain. Keeping this thing in mind BRAC started mentoring activities so that pupils can be made responsible, sincere and bloom their latent talents. Some visionary changes have come to the schools in which these activities go on. It has caught the attention of the government project Teaching Quality Improvement which has extended its cooperative hands and now vouched to work hand in hand with Brac.
After receiving six days mentoring training in BRAC Training Centers, students go back to their schools and form several groups to share their schooling problems. Students learn how to prepare for debate competition, prepare wall magazine which helps bloom their creative facilities. Mentoring schools have experienced the enhanced number of presence in the classroom. Teachers have to put fewer endeavors to bring the students into the classroom. On the other hand, dependence on private tutors has also lessened as they share academic problems as well in groups which are formed of weak and bright pupils proportionately. So far 36967 students of 1290 schools have received mentoring training from BRAC. Now TQI has volunteered to offer financial support to continue further the mentoring activities in schools so that students can really get the interest of coming to school and make school a really learning centre. The schools with CAL and mentoring support seem to be exciting enough to impart learning in a different environment. Both TQI and PACE work tirelessly to show a really a meaningful difference in these schools in respect of academic and co-curricular activities. Government and non-government partnership can really bring potential changes in the field of education which TQI and PACE joint venture has initiated to prove. Let us hope for the best.
Md. Masum Billah
Programme Manager: BRAC Education Programme, PACE
Phone: 9355253 (home), 01714-091431 (cell)
Email: mmbillah2000@yahoo.com, mmbillah@dhaka.net
English For All?
English For All?
I have gone through an article under the above caption “English For All” in the Daily Star of its 28 issue of March 2008 produced by an expatriate Alam Khorshed by name. I don’t understand from which point of view he has produced this article. Does it express his patriotism or profound love for mother tongue or he wants to avoid the reality. He had been in America for many years. I don’t know his profession or how, when or why he went abroad. His facing the American Embassy necessitated his English particularly his spoken English. But in his article he wants to put little or no importance in spoken English. He is right in his expression that language is the vehicle of cultural identity. Learning through mother tongue proves the strong footing on culture.
In this age of globalisation we can in no way keep ourselves aloof from the common trend of the world. By virtue of globalisation the people belonging to various cultures, caste, colour and language have come closer to each other. To develop a common communication and relation they must have a common means of language. English has occupied that place. Not only is that it the language of commerce, science, technology, literature and job. The candidate who can speak English preferably gets the job whatever office or organization it is. Most of the job market has been captured by private organization, non-government organization and international/ multinational companies. In all these organizations people who know English either in written or spoken are preferred and treated as human resource. The causes are not unknown to us. Don’t we respond to this pragmatic situation? Even government establishments also need English knowing people. Time and again they are to maintain liaison and communication and for rapport building they need English? So how can we deny these multifarious necessities and utilities of English?
The writer has got astonished to see three kinds of education in the country. He must understand that Bangladesh is a democracy. Democracy tries to cater to the demands and needs of all kinds of people. Only Bengali medium schools cannot not cater to the needs of affluent city dwellers. Only English medium schools cannot match with the situation of the country. There are some people in the country as well who think religious education is a must otherwise the true spirit of religion could not be upheld. It is the duty and responsibility of the government to satisfy the needs of the citizens. And to respond to the reality three kinds of educational institutions proclaim their existence in this country. All of our neighbouring countries see both English and native language medium educational institutions.
Again, understanding the pragmatic needs of English the government has introduced this language as a compulsory subject from one to intermediate level so that all the students can have a base of this global language can derive benefit from it in their future plan of life. Those who are meritorious and brilliant they capture the language somewhat well within this period of time. The common and the weaker ones face some difficulties to learn it. Even then they can guess and understand the language. It helps them to go ahead to further learn it in case of their service life. If they don’t have minimum idea about the language it will surely be difficult for them to learn completely from the beginning.
Learning a language from the situation is more effective, fruitful and practical. But to teach English offering these scopes is not possible in most of the cases in our country. That does not mean that we shall stop learning and teaching this language. The people who go English speaking countries capture the language within one year. Surely they will do it as to learn a language the conditions they experience are very much conducive to learn a language. How can we expect from our poor government to have that kind of situation? It is not also possible to establish large English teaching institutions depriving many people from the minimum light of education. So, the present of teaching English in our country conform to the practical situation though it is not very reasonable. But we cannot criticise or discourage to learn English.
In private sectors many such institutes have mushroomed to teach English. Though the situation is not so favourable there, at least the job seekers get some benefits from these privately run institutions. Moreover, these provide some job facilities for some youths.
Md. Masum Billah
Programme Manager: BRAC Education Programme, PACE
Cell: 01714-091431
Email: mmbillah2000@yahoo.com
I have gone through an article under the above caption “English For All” in the Daily Star of its 28 issue of March 2008 produced by an expatriate Alam Khorshed by name. I don’t understand from which point of view he has produced this article. Does it express his patriotism or profound love for mother tongue or he wants to avoid the reality. He had been in America for many years. I don’t know his profession or how, when or why he went abroad. His facing the American Embassy necessitated his English particularly his spoken English. But in his article he wants to put little or no importance in spoken English. He is right in his expression that language is the vehicle of cultural identity. Learning through mother tongue proves the strong footing on culture.
In this age of globalisation we can in no way keep ourselves aloof from the common trend of the world. By virtue of globalisation the people belonging to various cultures, caste, colour and language have come closer to each other. To develop a common communication and relation they must have a common means of language. English has occupied that place. Not only is that it the language of commerce, science, technology, literature and job. The candidate who can speak English preferably gets the job whatever office or organization it is. Most of the job market has been captured by private organization, non-government organization and international/ multinational companies. In all these organizations people who know English either in written or spoken are preferred and treated as human resource. The causes are not unknown to us. Don’t we respond to this pragmatic situation? Even government establishments also need English knowing people. Time and again they are to maintain liaison and communication and for rapport building they need English? So how can we deny these multifarious necessities and utilities of English?
The writer has got astonished to see three kinds of education in the country. He must understand that Bangladesh is a democracy. Democracy tries to cater to the demands and needs of all kinds of people. Only Bengali medium schools cannot not cater to the needs of affluent city dwellers. Only English medium schools cannot match with the situation of the country. There are some people in the country as well who think religious education is a must otherwise the true spirit of religion could not be upheld. It is the duty and responsibility of the government to satisfy the needs of the citizens. And to respond to the reality three kinds of educational institutions proclaim their existence in this country. All of our neighbouring countries see both English and native language medium educational institutions.
Again, understanding the pragmatic needs of English the government has introduced this language as a compulsory subject from one to intermediate level so that all the students can have a base of this global language can derive benefit from it in their future plan of life. Those who are meritorious and brilliant they capture the language somewhat well within this period of time. The common and the weaker ones face some difficulties to learn it. Even then they can guess and understand the language. It helps them to go ahead to further learn it in case of their service life. If they don’t have minimum idea about the language it will surely be difficult for them to learn completely from the beginning.
Learning a language from the situation is more effective, fruitful and practical. But to teach English offering these scopes is not possible in most of the cases in our country. That does not mean that we shall stop learning and teaching this language. The people who go English speaking countries capture the language within one year. Surely they will do it as to learn a language the conditions they experience are very much conducive to learn a language. How can we expect from our poor government to have that kind of situation? It is not also possible to establish large English teaching institutions depriving many people from the minimum light of education. So, the present of teaching English in our country conform to the practical situation though it is not very reasonable. But we cannot criticise or discourage to learn English.
In private sectors many such institutes have mushroomed to teach English. Though the situation is not so favourable there, at least the job seekers get some benefits from these privately run institutions. Moreover, these provide some job facilities for some youths.
Md. Masum Billah
Programme Manager: BRAC Education Programme, PACE
Cell: 01714-091431
Email: mmbillah2000@yahoo.com
Educated Unemployed of our country
Educated Unemployed of our country
Youth is one of the vital forces of a nation. The youth guide a nation towards a better direction and development. But the youth of our country is divided into uneducated youth, educated youth, educated unemployed youth, half educated unemployed youth, half educated employed youth, uneducated self-employed youth, educated self-employed youth and the most dangerous section is the educated unemployed youth.
When education is tinged with moral and ethical education, it may not have touch with the livelihood but has great merit of its own, as it does not encourage the learners adopting unfair means of any kind. It does not encourage doing something at the cost of others people’s misery. Education without moral and ethical value but enabling the educator to employ his/her ability to earn his/her livelihood is good enough as well as it does not exert pressure on the society and the country rather the family and the society become benefited by it. But education without ethics and morality and without any practical knowledge to support the educator and his family seems to be dangerous for any nation. We are troubled with this kind of education, which produces graduates without having any skill to earn his livelihood and lacking ethical knowledge. The graduates coming out of BUET and BITs , medical colleges and agricultural universities/colleges may not any moral and ethical education but they can employ themselves by virtue of their technical and profession knowledge. But the students passing out of our general universities and colleges exert serious pressure on the society as they don’t gain any moral and ethical knowledge. Neither have they had any technical or professional skill to support themselves. Their subject related jobs are hardly available in the country. After passing out of the educational institutions, they search for jobs in the employment market, which poses to be already packed. They try to manage a job by hook or by crook, by fair means or foul that means, they take the way of unfair means even because managing a job is their only concern to survive. When some of them fail to manage jobs, they take to the way of dark means.
Education makes a man refined, sensible and responsible. When financial constraint accompanies with education, it tends to kill these qualities in a man. So, having education along with financial security will bring a positive and reasonable change in a man as well as to the society. It is seen that all the small district colleges students get admission into honors courses comprising of four years though it takes five or six year or even more to earn the degree. Students during this period of time and being depressed of seeing the bleak future before them, they get themselves involved in unruly politics or become the puppets of political leaders. They don’t join the politics for the sake of politics, they do so just to earn money in the most improper way causing a serious harm to the country and setting an example that students having involved in politics need not study regularly. The nation must come out of this milieu.
After completing the education students can employ themselves in their own created job fields such as fishers, hatcheries, gardening, poultry, nursery, agriculture, hybrid fruits cultivation. They need capital to do these businesss which they can borrow from the commercial banks or through co-operative society. Time is overdue to make this kind of banking facilities available to them on smooth and easy terms and conditions. The more it is getting delayed, the more social crime, frustration and over pressure on our already over-populated and polluted towns and cities will increase. These national problems should be discussed fruitfully and effectively avoiding any political touch in the National Assembly without spending time unnecessarily on extolling the unimportant and less important things and steps. In the micro or individual level this gigantic problem cannot be addressed. Governmental interference and assistance is greatly needed in this field. When educated youths will live in village, the overall situation of the village will change. Their direct involvement and encouragement will bring a success in the family planning filed also in the villages of our nation.
The existence of unemployment among the educated person in Bangladesh is a cause of serious concern. Among other contributing factors can be identified as aspirations of the educated for white collar jobs particularly in the government sector, poor quality of educational and absence of an effective labour market information system in the country.
The unemployment of graduates is a devastating phenomenon in the lives of graduates and a high incidence of either are definite indicators of institutional ineffectiveness and inefficiency. Educated unemployment or underemployment is due to a mismatch between the aspirations of graduates and employment opportunities available to them. If the only benefit of a degree is improved workplace productivity, this represents a wasteful investment of scarce resources of our poor nation. Large sums of money have consequently been invested in educating unemployed or underemployed graduates who could otherwise have been invested in job-creating productive programmes. It was found that two factors are important regarding graduate unemployment or underemployment, namely incidence and duration Being in a state of prolonged unemployed despite being educated can have serious negative effects on one’s personality, temperament and state of mind. Often such frustrated individuals get into wrong company and go astray causing serious social crimes and instability.
Most people consider government jobs to be a source of lifelong security in the form of pensions, gratuity and other benefits. However, though the demand for such government jobs is high, their supply fails to keep up; creating a large group of educated unemployed persons who are left with no other option but to sit at home idle and idle brains bring idle thinking. In order to remove such evident imbalance, it is time to streamline the education process, create better lines of communication and information dissemination so that the demands of the economy are communicated to the masses. There has to be a healthy mix of skilled labour that is trained to meet the changing demands of the growing economy to truly reduce the number of educated unemployed.
Md. Masum Billah
Programme Manager: BRAC Education Program, PACE
Phone: 9355253(home), 01714-091431(cell)
Email: mmbillah2000@yahoo.com
Youth is one of the vital forces of a nation. The youth guide a nation towards a better direction and development. But the youth of our country is divided into uneducated youth, educated youth, educated unemployed youth, half educated unemployed youth, half educated employed youth, uneducated self-employed youth, educated self-employed youth and the most dangerous section is the educated unemployed youth.
When education is tinged with moral and ethical education, it may not have touch with the livelihood but has great merit of its own, as it does not encourage the learners adopting unfair means of any kind. It does not encourage doing something at the cost of others people’s misery. Education without moral and ethical value but enabling the educator to employ his/her ability to earn his/her livelihood is good enough as well as it does not exert pressure on the society and the country rather the family and the society become benefited by it. But education without ethics and morality and without any practical knowledge to support the educator and his family seems to be dangerous for any nation. We are troubled with this kind of education, which produces graduates without having any skill to earn his livelihood and lacking ethical knowledge. The graduates coming out of BUET and BITs , medical colleges and agricultural universities/colleges may not any moral and ethical education but they can employ themselves by virtue of their technical and profession knowledge. But the students passing out of our general universities and colleges exert serious pressure on the society as they don’t gain any moral and ethical knowledge. Neither have they had any technical or professional skill to support themselves. Their subject related jobs are hardly available in the country. After passing out of the educational institutions, they search for jobs in the employment market, which poses to be already packed. They try to manage a job by hook or by crook, by fair means or foul that means, they take the way of unfair means even because managing a job is their only concern to survive. When some of them fail to manage jobs, they take to the way of dark means.
Education makes a man refined, sensible and responsible. When financial constraint accompanies with education, it tends to kill these qualities in a man. So, having education along with financial security will bring a positive and reasonable change in a man as well as to the society. It is seen that all the small district colleges students get admission into honors courses comprising of four years though it takes five or six year or even more to earn the degree. Students during this period of time and being depressed of seeing the bleak future before them, they get themselves involved in unruly politics or become the puppets of political leaders. They don’t join the politics for the sake of politics, they do so just to earn money in the most improper way causing a serious harm to the country and setting an example that students having involved in politics need not study regularly. The nation must come out of this milieu.
After completing the education students can employ themselves in their own created job fields such as fishers, hatcheries, gardening, poultry, nursery, agriculture, hybrid fruits cultivation. They need capital to do these businesss which they can borrow from the commercial banks or through co-operative society. Time is overdue to make this kind of banking facilities available to them on smooth and easy terms and conditions. The more it is getting delayed, the more social crime, frustration and over pressure on our already over-populated and polluted towns and cities will increase. These national problems should be discussed fruitfully and effectively avoiding any political touch in the National Assembly without spending time unnecessarily on extolling the unimportant and less important things and steps. In the micro or individual level this gigantic problem cannot be addressed. Governmental interference and assistance is greatly needed in this field. When educated youths will live in village, the overall situation of the village will change. Their direct involvement and encouragement will bring a success in the family planning filed also in the villages of our nation.
The existence of unemployment among the educated person in Bangladesh is a cause of serious concern. Among other contributing factors can be identified as aspirations of the educated for white collar jobs particularly in the government sector, poor quality of educational and absence of an effective labour market information system in the country.
The unemployment of graduates is a devastating phenomenon in the lives of graduates and a high incidence of either are definite indicators of institutional ineffectiveness and inefficiency. Educated unemployment or underemployment is due to a mismatch between the aspirations of graduates and employment opportunities available to them. If the only benefit of a degree is improved workplace productivity, this represents a wasteful investment of scarce resources of our poor nation. Large sums of money have consequently been invested in educating unemployed or underemployed graduates who could otherwise have been invested in job-creating productive programmes. It was found that two factors are important regarding graduate unemployment or underemployment, namely incidence and duration Being in a state of prolonged unemployed despite being educated can have serious negative effects on one’s personality, temperament and state of mind. Often such frustrated individuals get into wrong company and go astray causing serious social crimes and instability.
Most people consider government jobs to be a source of lifelong security in the form of pensions, gratuity and other benefits. However, though the demand for such government jobs is high, their supply fails to keep up; creating a large group of educated unemployed persons who are left with no other option but to sit at home idle and idle brains bring idle thinking. In order to remove such evident imbalance, it is time to streamline the education process, create better lines of communication and information dissemination so that the demands of the economy are communicated to the masses. There has to be a healthy mix of skilled labour that is trained to meet the changing demands of the growing economy to truly reduce the number of educated unemployed.
Md. Masum Billah
Programme Manager: BRAC Education Program, PACE
Phone: 9355253(home), 01714-091431(cell)
Email: mmbillah2000@yahoo.com
Reducing School drop out rates
Reducing school drop out rates
Bangladesh has achieved substantial achievement in education particularly primary level comparing the previous situation. . Poverty and poverty related factors are identified as the predominant reasons for dropout . Addressing poverty and related factors- awarding scholarships, provisions of tutoring, improvement of school facilities and teacher training can reduce the dropout rate.
Per capita income in Bangladesh is one of the lowest in the world having the status of 7th populous country .Half of its population lives below the poverty line. Population density 2800 persons per square mile prove one of the highest in the world. Poverty has been dealt with as a main concern by a large number of non-government organizations and they have goals related to poverty eradication as their primary focus but the pace of progress has been excruciatingly slow. Bangladesh spends 2.7 percent of its GDP for educating its children proving one of the lowest in the world.
Not only poverty but also socio-religious factors and lack of exposure to modernism can be attributed to poor and dire situation of secondary education in rural areas. The number of high schools per 1000 children is awfully low compared to the urban areas, the facilities in high schools are dismally inadequate and the quality of education cries out for improvement. At the completion of five years of primary, no certificate was awarded till 2009 when the government introduced terminal exam and required high schools to admit only students that passed exam at Class VI. The high school teachers used to blame the primary teachers for providing poor quality students to high schools. Now this blame game will be narrowed.
Volunteers Association for Bangladesh (VAB) , a US-based non-governmental organization, started its activities in Bangladesh from 2000 in high school education for poor students in rural areas. It works in 34 rural high schools in different localities in 22 upazilas in 15 districts. It has four programs namely-(i) High School Scholarship, (ii) Teachers Training, (iii) Facilities Improvement (with science laboratory equipment and supplies, library books, computers, sports and cultural equipment,) (iv)Tutoring SSC Examinees and Tutoring 6th graders. Over 80 percent high school students quit schools without having their secondary school certificates while 36.52 percent of intermediate college level students dropped out without having their higher sedentary certificates in 2005. Female students have a higher dropout rate than male students in 2005 , 83.29 percent.
Poor families in rural Bangladesh cannot afford school tuition let alone pay for a private tutor. But for supplementing low-quality classroom education and achieving success, private tutoring or coaching has become a necessity in the system that has developed in Bangladesh over the past years. Most poor parent in rural areas is compelled to sacrifice education and choose work over school for their children to supplement the meager family income that is insufficient for the maintenance of the family.
Besides poverty and early marriage a few additional factors have been identified for dropout. Getting afraid of English , mathematics and other hard subjects and easy promotion from class six to ten is another cause. When students need to take preparation for the national level exams many cannot cope with the situation and leave schools.. In some cases dropout has been associated with specific behavioral problems such as drug abuse. Another recurrent cause of dropping out is persistently low academic achievement.
Female students’ early marriage account for 60% dropout rate proves to be a significant and important issue in this sector. 27 percent girls leave school to do domestic activities. Lack of interest in school or education in general, issues of adjustments in schools, difficulties with coping with the curriculum and its complexities and even fear of teachers have been pointed out in this context.
Social factors such as apathy or antipathy originating from religion, caste or ethnicity as well as outright discouragement by religious leaders or guardians are not ignoring factors.
A tutoring program for SSC examinees may save the poor guardians from spending extra money for their education. Volunteers Association of Bangladesh and brac have started this tutoring programme for the SSC examinees which directly help the poor students and guardians. If similar programmes are taken by other NGOs and government , the poor students will be benefitted and drop out rate will reduce. Scholarship programmes for the real poor learners also can also help reduce drop out. Volunteers Association of Bangladesh run a scholarship programme for poor village students and a research shows that these schools see 17percent less dropout than other schools. Of course, government has some scholarship projects for the poor students but it is not known whether any research has been conducted or not to see how much dropout rate has been reduced.
Md. Masum Billah
Programme Manager: BRAC Education Programme, PACE
Cell: 01714-091431
Email: mmbillah2000@yahoo.com
Bangladesh has achieved substantial achievement in education particularly primary level comparing the previous situation. . Poverty and poverty related factors are identified as the predominant reasons for dropout . Addressing poverty and related factors- awarding scholarships, provisions of tutoring, improvement of school facilities and teacher training can reduce the dropout rate.
Per capita income in Bangladesh is one of the lowest in the world having the status of 7th populous country .Half of its population lives below the poverty line. Population density 2800 persons per square mile prove one of the highest in the world. Poverty has been dealt with as a main concern by a large number of non-government organizations and they have goals related to poverty eradication as their primary focus but the pace of progress has been excruciatingly slow. Bangladesh spends 2.7 percent of its GDP for educating its children proving one of the lowest in the world.
Not only poverty but also socio-religious factors and lack of exposure to modernism can be attributed to poor and dire situation of secondary education in rural areas. The number of high schools per 1000 children is awfully low compared to the urban areas, the facilities in high schools are dismally inadequate and the quality of education cries out for improvement. At the completion of five years of primary, no certificate was awarded till 2009 when the government introduced terminal exam and required high schools to admit only students that passed exam at Class VI. The high school teachers used to blame the primary teachers for providing poor quality students to high schools. Now this blame game will be narrowed.
Volunteers Association for Bangladesh (VAB) , a US-based non-governmental organization, started its activities in Bangladesh from 2000 in high school education for poor students in rural areas. It works in 34 rural high schools in different localities in 22 upazilas in 15 districts. It has four programs namely-(i) High School Scholarship, (ii) Teachers Training, (iii) Facilities Improvement (with science laboratory equipment and supplies, library books, computers, sports and cultural equipment,) (iv)Tutoring SSC Examinees and Tutoring 6th graders. Over 80 percent high school students quit schools without having their secondary school certificates while 36.52 percent of intermediate college level students dropped out without having their higher sedentary certificates in 2005. Female students have a higher dropout rate than male students in 2005 , 83.29 percent.
Poor families in rural Bangladesh cannot afford school tuition let alone pay for a private tutor. But for supplementing low-quality classroom education and achieving success, private tutoring or coaching has become a necessity in the system that has developed in Bangladesh over the past years. Most poor parent in rural areas is compelled to sacrifice education and choose work over school for their children to supplement the meager family income that is insufficient for the maintenance of the family.
Besides poverty and early marriage a few additional factors have been identified for dropout. Getting afraid of English , mathematics and other hard subjects and easy promotion from class six to ten is another cause. When students need to take preparation for the national level exams many cannot cope with the situation and leave schools.. In some cases dropout has been associated with specific behavioral problems such as drug abuse. Another recurrent cause of dropping out is persistently low academic achievement.
Female students’ early marriage account for 60% dropout rate proves to be a significant and important issue in this sector. 27 percent girls leave school to do domestic activities. Lack of interest in school or education in general, issues of adjustments in schools, difficulties with coping with the curriculum and its complexities and even fear of teachers have been pointed out in this context.
Social factors such as apathy or antipathy originating from religion, caste or ethnicity as well as outright discouragement by religious leaders or guardians are not ignoring factors.
A tutoring program for SSC examinees may save the poor guardians from spending extra money for their education. Volunteers Association of Bangladesh and brac have started this tutoring programme for the SSC examinees which directly help the poor students and guardians. If similar programmes are taken by other NGOs and government , the poor students will be benefitted and drop out rate will reduce. Scholarship programmes for the real poor learners also can also help reduce drop out. Volunteers Association of Bangladesh run a scholarship programme for poor village students and a research shows that these schools see 17percent less dropout than other schools. Of course, government has some scholarship projects for the poor students but it is not known whether any research has been conducted or not to see how much dropout rate has been reduced.
Md. Masum Billah
Programme Manager: BRAC Education Programme, PACE
Cell: 01714-091431
Email: mmbillah2000@yahoo.com
Cadet college education in Bangladesh
Cadet college education in Bangladesh: Education policy ignores it
Cadet colleges are feeder institutions of armed forces and the greatest supplier of quality candidates to civil sectors. The highest tier of officials who are at the helm of state affairs and a foreign remittance earners abroad showing the talents constitute most of the productions of cadet colleges. But in the education policy its name has not been mentioned at all. It is quite different system of imparting education covering all the necessary elements, conditions and environments for the learners which are absolutely necessary for the growing up learners. These elements are not written or said, they are maintained qualitatively and mandatorily. It is different as the entry level begins from grade seven and ends in twelve grades. Teachers are lecturers, assistant professors and associate professors. Very qualitative education along with military and full physical training is imparted in a cadet college to broom the learners so that they can genuinely and practically face the challenges of life in the social, national and international levels. But this education is not so costly like English medium schools. If compared, cadet colleges are producing far better and capable citizens than English Medium schools.
Cadets learn a special kind of socialization living in the dormitories of the college with cadets hailing from different parts of the country and various strata of the society in their very tender age. They learn how to behave with others, how to eat in the dinning hall with fellow classmates, teachers and with VIPs using spoons. They learn how to wear different types of dress suitable for different kinds of activities of the institution. The dress are Khaki dress, games dress, parade and PT dress, pjama Panjabi, dining hall dress . Normally it seems to be ordinary activities but their underlying meaning and significance is great. Learning how to wear tie and taking meal using spoon being a cadet of class seven bears much significance. The learners of outside institutions don’t have such kind of institutional training doing these jobs but these are very essential in life.
A cadet avails the opportunities of learning, becoming familiar with and playing many kinds of indoor and outdoor games as an usual part of their institutional programme. According to yearly routine a cadet must either participate actively or to watch actively all the known games and sports of the college which unfolds opportunities for them to of learn those games. Students of other institutions don’t have such kind of well-organized and regular programmes to participate, learn and know many kinds of games and sports. They may participate in one or two or just have ideas in one or two games but this does not happen regularly. Cadets are to do it very regularly.
All the cadets must participate in English extempore speech competition, Bengali extempore speech competition, English set speech competition, Bengali set speech competition, English spelling competition, Bengali spelling competition, English story telling completion, Bengali story telling completion, English poem recitation competition, Bengali poem recitation competition etc. regularly. These are the integral parts of six years of training in a cadet college which make a cadet all rounder, conscious, confident and courageous citizens ,good speakers and innovative to face the challenges of future life very effectively and pragmatically. The language of communication is English in these institutions. All the colleges follow English version so that the brilliant candidates may not face any difficulty in future in respective of communicating with the outside world.
Cadets enjoy teaching and close intimacy of teachers who have masters in respective subjects. Their high thinking and elevated degrees guide them to a shining path. Civil schools and collegiate schools don’t have subject-based teachers. In most of the cases only graduate teachers impart teaching there. As a result most of them suffer from a chronic fault in grasping very basic and important ideas in different subjects which accompany them till their higher education life or even throughout their life.Educational tour is a regular phenomenon of cadet college making the cadet acquainted practically with different cultural and historical places of Bangladesh and all the armed forces academies .
Jatia party in their Election manifesto declared if they were voted to power, they would establish one cadet college in each greater district. The Jatia Party Chairman Hossein Mohammad Ershad was the chairman of Cadet College Governing Body which convinced him to hold such kind of idea and notion. The same thing was uttered by an education secretary when he was invited to an auspicious function of a cadet college. This incident convinced me that the leading individuals of the Ministry of Education may not have transparent idea about cadet college education and different tier of education, differences and discrepancies among them. The said secretary went to visit and witness the activities of Cadet College for the first time in his life and the disciplined activities convinced him to establish a cadet college at least one in each greater district.
What I will propose to the cadet college authority, the chairman (adjutant General of Bangladesh Army) and secretary –Ministry of Education and the members of the governing body of cadet colleges to extend the facilities of cadet college education to the poor and marginalized in reality and practically. At present there is a provision for giving opportunity to the poor and meritorious students but in reality it doe not happen because the whole process of admission itself stands as a bar for the poor students to enter into a cadet college.
Admission circular should not be kept limited only in newspapers. Poor and rural students don’t have the access to newspapers regularly. Admission circular must reach all the rural schools. In this case, cadet college authority may take help of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education. The authority may directly send the circular to the DEOs ( District Education Officer) who will send it to all the headmasters of rural schools. Admissions forms also to be sent and distributed among the rural schools in this way. As a senior Manager of BEP I have the opportunity to mix with the DEOs almost regularly. I have formed the idea that they don’t hold transparent idea about cadet college education.Admission centres should not be made only the city of Dhaka and respective colleges. It proves a central system and for the specialized few. Admission centres should be at least in all the greater districts to extend admission facilities among the poor and many.
Then intended candidate will sit for admission test in his/her chosen centre and in the same way he/she will just put his/her choice of college. The existing practice says that those who like to get admission in Pabna Cadet College candidates have to obtain forms against that college, sit for admission test in a centre fixed by that college. The candidate cannot get admission in other college except Pabna what ever better performance he/she shows in the admission test. The more meritorious candidates usually opt for Mirzapur and Comilla Cadet colleges because of their being close to Dhaka. Necessarily, a tough competition takes place in these colleges. When they fail to get admission in these colleges, they don’t have any other choice to enter into Cadet College. Comparatively less meritorious candidates can enter into cadet colleges situated far away from Dhaka because of this admission process. To remove these ills, one boy candidate will buy one form and will put choice for all the ten colleges according to his priority and girs will give choice for all the three Girls’ colleges seriously.
The existing 50 seats in each college in each intake should be increased up to at least 100 or 150 so that defense education can be spread for many. When I was in cadet college I found and learnt that many girls could not enter into cadet college in spite of their having much required qualifications because of the paucity of seats in only one girls’ cadet college at Mymensingh. However, the previous government established another two girls cadet colleges ( one at Joypurhat and another at Feni).
It is also necessary to establish a separate education board for cadet college education. The same thing should be done for English Medium education as well. This will be done not to create division but to run the cadet college education more smoothly. The system and mode of education in these institutions call for a different board administration. One example I want to cite here. In one year all the cadet of SSC class obtained letter marks ( 80%) in English in the Test Examination. (objective 50, subjective 50). But in the board examination only one cadet obtained letter marks because the teachers of outside institution don’t have usually masters in English or even three hundred marks in the graduation level. They become board examiner just by virtue of their length of service and fail to understand the standard of the script and did not award high marks. As a result, all the English teachers were given show cause letter from Army Headquarters and from college authority. Only one cadet occupied 11th position in comilla education board that year. The same batch obtained 27 position ( combine second, combine thire including first position) in the same board in HSC examination.
Many people think cadet colleges are fully army dominated. Civilian teachers are cornered here and suppressed. This is not the case actually. My experience says that human being can nowhere enjoy absolute freedom. Probably this is divine law. When humans have the opportunity to enjoy absolute freedom they become autocrats bringing negative impact and results for themselves and for other fellow human beings. Cadet college system does not have direct influence on the teachers by army officers what many people think and say. Principal is direct boss who can be a defense officer ( army, navy or air force) who belong to education core of the forces or a civilian teacher promoted to the post of prinicipal. I think coming into contact with armed forces officers and working with them one can learn a lot. In the same way, adjutant ( either caption or major) is the colleague of the faculty members. The adjutant cannot afford to behave like boss. One problem lies here regarding addressing one another. The direct teachers of adjutants receive the addressing from them as ‘ sir’ which other faculty members don’t get. The faculty members are in an embarrassing situation how to address the adjutant as he is neither their boss who can receive the addressing as ‘ sir’ nor he is similar in rank. The adjutants also face the same problem. Here I have a suggestion. The cadet college authority can introduce addressing system as ‘ sir’ irrespective of rank and status. The adjutant and medical officer will address all the teachers as ‘ sir’ and all the faculty members except direct teachers of adjutant and medical officer also will ‘ address them as ‘ sir’. It will resolve the present situation.
During my serving in Cadet College I placed some proposals to the highest authorities which I believe did not reach them. One was to bring novelty in cadet college service for the faculty members. They should be transferred from cadet college to all the defense academies ( army, navy, air force) . The then commandant of BMA, Brigadier ( now Rtd. General) Ibrahim also showed interest in this affair. I think it should be introduced. If it is done, the job of faculty members would have been much enjoyable. Government college teachers work in military academies on deputation. This thing can be done by cadet college teachers who are already acquainted with the affairs of military. To speak the truth, I would not have left the job if such kind of situation could be introduced. Working with defense officials gives an excellent opportunity of learning. This scope should be further extended. Education core officers, who teach in academies, can be transferred to cadet colleges as well. Promotion of faculty members should not be on the basis of seniority only. After giving a certain years of service to cadet colleges, faculty members should be given opportunity to sit for promotion test. If it is done, the merit and ability will be evaluated. The existing system evaluates only the length of service which is not a reasonable system of promotion.
Faculty members enjoy rationing facilities and full residential accommodation in the campus. Its very good to dedicate to imparting teaching with cool and peaceful mind. There is no system of private tuition which I think the educationists and educational arenas should appreciate. Of course, some teachers don’t like it. They think their earning source and scope is limited. The authorities should give their eyes and considerations in this regard. Teachers should be engaged in different kinds of creative activities which will bring them money as well. Suppose, the faculty members of cadet colleges can check the scripts of all the cadets of all defense academies.
The system of cadet was first introduced in Germany in the era of Bismark. Napoleon Bonaparte introduced this in France. Military and Royal aristocrats would send their children or wards to those cadet colleges for education and a carrier in the Royal Army. After partition in 1947 the new state of Pakistan, consisting of East and West Pakistan, the system was introduced by the then president of Pakistan Field Marshall Ayub Khan. The first cadet college was built in West Pakistani province in Punjab in the year 1954. It was followed by the establishment of Faujderhat Cadet College in Chittagong in Bangladesh ( then East Pakistan) in 1958. These institutions were primarily constructed in accordance with the Public Schools of England.There are twelve cadet colleges in Bangladesh. Among these nine are for boys and three for girls. Four Cadet Colleges were established before 1971. Another six cadet colleges were turned into cadet college from Residential Model Schools founded during Pakistan period. Only two Girls’ Cadet colleges (Joypurhat and Feni ) were established during Bangladesh period and it was done during BNP government period ( 2006). Cadets passed out from a Cadet College feel deeply for his her alma mater. From this inspiration, ex-cadets of almost every cadet college have been able to from alumni associations called ex-cadets association.
After taking service in a cadet college young and energetic youths from universities start discharging their duties without any previous training. Usually, new faculty members learn doing and practicing the works and activities of this institution with senior faculty members. The nature, work and environment of cadet college are different from other educational institutions. Necessarily, working here calls for a special training which generally does not take place. During our time some of us had the opportunity to receive training at Faujderhat Cadet College. It was initiated by Principal Moffazal Hossain and the then Chairman , Maj. Gen Amin Ahmed Chowdhury.
The contribution of Cadet College is really very exciting and great in the field of education in our country. The cadets have occupied the very leading and significant positions both in the civil and military sectors. Hundreds and thousands of cadets are scattered in foreign lands contributing significantly to our national economy. In the present education policy no clear and practical directions are indicated and explained regarding the future of cadet colleges and the condition of teachers and other staff and officers of this institution. There should have been a member on the committee from Cadet College. Will these institutions continue working just as they do now or these will be turned into schools is not mentioned in the education policy at all? What will happen to the designation of the faculty members also remains vague. Cadet college occupies a significant position in our secondary and higher secondary levels. It really holds a special position in our educational arena proclaiming some special features of our education system. First feature of this institution is that it is run by armed forces division, taught by civil teachers and the duration of learning and training is six years beginning from seven and ends in twelve. Teachers enjoy the status of officers, a little bit different from civil schools or colleges. The real picture, prospects and the way of managing cadet colleges are still not quite familiar to many. Is it the cause for which the proposed education policy did not mention anything about cadet college?
Md. Masum Billah
Programme Manager: BRAC Education Programme, PACE
Phone: 9355253 (res), 01714-091431(cell)
Email: mmbillah2000@yahoo.com, mmbillah@dhaka.net
Cadet colleges are feeder institutions of armed forces and the greatest supplier of quality candidates to civil sectors. The highest tier of officials who are at the helm of state affairs and a foreign remittance earners abroad showing the talents constitute most of the productions of cadet colleges. But in the education policy its name has not been mentioned at all. It is quite different system of imparting education covering all the necessary elements, conditions and environments for the learners which are absolutely necessary for the growing up learners. These elements are not written or said, they are maintained qualitatively and mandatorily. It is different as the entry level begins from grade seven and ends in twelve grades. Teachers are lecturers, assistant professors and associate professors. Very qualitative education along with military and full physical training is imparted in a cadet college to broom the learners so that they can genuinely and practically face the challenges of life in the social, national and international levels. But this education is not so costly like English medium schools. If compared, cadet colleges are producing far better and capable citizens than English Medium schools.
Cadets learn a special kind of socialization living in the dormitories of the college with cadets hailing from different parts of the country and various strata of the society in their very tender age. They learn how to behave with others, how to eat in the dinning hall with fellow classmates, teachers and with VIPs using spoons. They learn how to wear different types of dress suitable for different kinds of activities of the institution. The dress are Khaki dress, games dress, parade and PT dress, pjama Panjabi, dining hall dress . Normally it seems to be ordinary activities but their underlying meaning and significance is great. Learning how to wear tie and taking meal using spoon being a cadet of class seven bears much significance. The learners of outside institutions don’t have such kind of institutional training doing these jobs but these are very essential in life.
A cadet avails the opportunities of learning, becoming familiar with and playing many kinds of indoor and outdoor games as an usual part of their institutional programme. According to yearly routine a cadet must either participate actively or to watch actively all the known games and sports of the college which unfolds opportunities for them to of learn those games. Students of other institutions don’t have such kind of well-organized and regular programmes to participate, learn and know many kinds of games and sports. They may participate in one or two or just have ideas in one or two games but this does not happen regularly. Cadets are to do it very regularly.
All the cadets must participate in English extempore speech competition, Bengali extempore speech competition, English set speech competition, Bengali set speech competition, English spelling competition, Bengali spelling competition, English story telling completion, Bengali story telling completion, English poem recitation competition, Bengali poem recitation competition etc. regularly. These are the integral parts of six years of training in a cadet college which make a cadet all rounder, conscious, confident and courageous citizens ,good speakers and innovative to face the challenges of future life very effectively and pragmatically. The language of communication is English in these institutions. All the colleges follow English version so that the brilliant candidates may not face any difficulty in future in respective of communicating with the outside world.
Cadets enjoy teaching and close intimacy of teachers who have masters in respective subjects. Their high thinking and elevated degrees guide them to a shining path. Civil schools and collegiate schools don’t have subject-based teachers. In most of the cases only graduate teachers impart teaching there. As a result most of them suffer from a chronic fault in grasping very basic and important ideas in different subjects which accompany them till their higher education life or even throughout their life.Educational tour is a regular phenomenon of cadet college making the cadet acquainted practically with different cultural and historical places of Bangladesh and all the armed forces academies .
Jatia party in their Election manifesto declared if they were voted to power, they would establish one cadet college in each greater district. The Jatia Party Chairman Hossein Mohammad Ershad was the chairman of Cadet College Governing Body which convinced him to hold such kind of idea and notion. The same thing was uttered by an education secretary when he was invited to an auspicious function of a cadet college. This incident convinced me that the leading individuals of the Ministry of Education may not have transparent idea about cadet college education and different tier of education, differences and discrepancies among them. The said secretary went to visit and witness the activities of Cadet College for the first time in his life and the disciplined activities convinced him to establish a cadet college at least one in each greater district.
What I will propose to the cadet college authority, the chairman (adjutant General of Bangladesh Army) and secretary –Ministry of Education and the members of the governing body of cadet colleges to extend the facilities of cadet college education to the poor and marginalized in reality and practically. At present there is a provision for giving opportunity to the poor and meritorious students but in reality it doe not happen because the whole process of admission itself stands as a bar for the poor students to enter into a cadet college.
Admission circular should not be kept limited only in newspapers. Poor and rural students don’t have the access to newspapers regularly. Admission circular must reach all the rural schools. In this case, cadet college authority may take help of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education. The authority may directly send the circular to the DEOs ( District Education Officer) who will send it to all the headmasters of rural schools. Admissions forms also to be sent and distributed among the rural schools in this way. As a senior Manager of BEP I have the opportunity to mix with the DEOs almost regularly. I have formed the idea that they don’t hold transparent idea about cadet college education.Admission centres should not be made only the city of Dhaka and respective colleges. It proves a central system and for the specialized few. Admission centres should be at least in all the greater districts to extend admission facilities among the poor and many.
Then intended candidate will sit for admission test in his/her chosen centre and in the same way he/she will just put his/her choice of college. The existing practice says that those who like to get admission in Pabna Cadet College candidates have to obtain forms against that college, sit for admission test in a centre fixed by that college. The candidate cannot get admission in other college except Pabna what ever better performance he/she shows in the admission test. The more meritorious candidates usually opt for Mirzapur and Comilla Cadet colleges because of their being close to Dhaka. Necessarily, a tough competition takes place in these colleges. When they fail to get admission in these colleges, they don’t have any other choice to enter into Cadet College. Comparatively less meritorious candidates can enter into cadet colleges situated far away from Dhaka because of this admission process. To remove these ills, one boy candidate will buy one form and will put choice for all the ten colleges according to his priority and girs will give choice for all the three Girls’ colleges seriously.
The existing 50 seats in each college in each intake should be increased up to at least 100 or 150 so that defense education can be spread for many. When I was in cadet college I found and learnt that many girls could not enter into cadet college in spite of their having much required qualifications because of the paucity of seats in only one girls’ cadet college at Mymensingh. However, the previous government established another two girls cadet colleges ( one at Joypurhat and another at Feni).
It is also necessary to establish a separate education board for cadet college education. The same thing should be done for English Medium education as well. This will be done not to create division but to run the cadet college education more smoothly. The system and mode of education in these institutions call for a different board administration. One example I want to cite here. In one year all the cadet of SSC class obtained letter marks ( 80%) in English in the Test Examination. (objective 50, subjective 50). But in the board examination only one cadet obtained letter marks because the teachers of outside institution don’t have usually masters in English or even three hundred marks in the graduation level. They become board examiner just by virtue of their length of service and fail to understand the standard of the script and did not award high marks. As a result, all the English teachers were given show cause letter from Army Headquarters and from college authority. Only one cadet occupied 11th position in comilla education board that year. The same batch obtained 27 position ( combine second, combine thire including first position) in the same board in HSC examination.
Many people think cadet colleges are fully army dominated. Civilian teachers are cornered here and suppressed. This is not the case actually. My experience says that human being can nowhere enjoy absolute freedom. Probably this is divine law. When humans have the opportunity to enjoy absolute freedom they become autocrats bringing negative impact and results for themselves and for other fellow human beings. Cadet college system does not have direct influence on the teachers by army officers what many people think and say. Principal is direct boss who can be a defense officer ( army, navy or air force) who belong to education core of the forces or a civilian teacher promoted to the post of prinicipal. I think coming into contact with armed forces officers and working with them one can learn a lot. In the same way, adjutant ( either caption or major) is the colleague of the faculty members. The adjutant cannot afford to behave like boss. One problem lies here regarding addressing one another. The direct teachers of adjutants receive the addressing from them as ‘ sir’ which other faculty members don’t get. The faculty members are in an embarrassing situation how to address the adjutant as he is neither their boss who can receive the addressing as ‘ sir’ nor he is similar in rank. The adjutants also face the same problem. Here I have a suggestion. The cadet college authority can introduce addressing system as ‘ sir’ irrespective of rank and status. The adjutant and medical officer will address all the teachers as ‘ sir’ and all the faculty members except direct teachers of adjutant and medical officer also will ‘ address them as ‘ sir’. It will resolve the present situation.
During my serving in Cadet College I placed some proposals to the highest authorities which I believe did not reach them. One was to bring novelty in cadet college service for the faculty members. They should be transferred from cadet college to all the defense academies ( army, navy, air force) . The then commandant of BMA, Brigadier ( now Rtd. General) Ibrahim also showed interest in this affair. I think it should be introduced. If it is done, the job of faculty members would have been much enjoyable. Government college teachers work in military academies on deputation. This thing can be done by cadet college teachers who are already acquainted with the affairs of military. To speak the truth, I would not have left the job if such kind of situation could be introduced. Working with defense officials gives an excellent opportunity of learning. This scope should be further extended. Education core officers, who teach in academies, can be transferred to cadet colleges as well. Promotion of faculty members should not be on the basis of seniority only. After giving a certain years of service to cadet colleges, faculty members should be given opportunity to sit for promotion test. If it is done, the merit and ability will be evaluated. The existing system evaluates only the length of service which is not a reasonable system of promotion.
Faculty members enjoy rationing facilities and full residential accommodation in the campus. Its very good to dedicate to imparting teaching with cool and peaceful mind. There is no system of private tuition which I think the educationists and educational arenas should appreciate. Of course, some teachers don’t like it. They think their earning source and scope is limited. The authorities should give their eyes and considerations in this regard. Teachers should be engaged in different kinds of creative activities which will bring them money as well. Suppose, the faculty members of cadet colleges can check the scripts of all the cadets of all defense academies.
The system of cadet was first introduced in Germany in the era of Bismark. Napoleon Bonaparte introduced this in France. Military and Royal aristocrats would send their children or wards to those cadet colleges for education and a carrier in the Royal Army. After partition in 1947 the new state of Pakistan, consisting of East and West Pakistan, the system was introduced by the then president of Pakistan Field Marshall Ayub Khan. The first cadet college was built in West Pakistani province in Punjab in the year 1954. It was followed by the establishment of Faujderhat Cadet College in Chittagong in Bangladesh ( then East Pakistan) in 1958. These institutions were primarily constructed in accordance with the Public Schools of England.There are twelve cadet colleges in Bangladesh. Among these nine are for boys and three for girls. Four Cadet Colleges were established before 1971. Another six cadet colleges were turned into cadet college from Residential Model Schools founded during Pakistan period. Only two Girls’ Cadet colleges (Joypurhat and Feni ) were established during Bangladesh period and it was done during BNP government period ( 2006). Cadets passed out from a Cadet College feel deeply for his her alma mater. From this inspiration, ex-cadets of almost every cadet college have been able to from alumni associations called ex-cadets association.
After taking service in a cadet college young and energetic youths from universities start discharging their duties without any previous training. Usually, new faculty members learn doing and practicing the works and activities of this institution with senior faculty members. The nature, work and environment of cadet college are different from other educational institutions. Necessarily, working here calls for a special training which generally does not take place. During our time some of us had the opportunity to receive training at Faujderhat Cadet College. It was initiated by Principal Moffazal Hossain and the then Chairman , Maj. Gen Amin Ahmed Chowdhury.
The contribution of Cadet College is really very exciting and great in the field of education in our country. The cadets have occupied the very leading and significant positions both in the civil and military sectors. Hundreds and thousands of cadets are scattered in foreign lands contributing significantly to our national economy. In the present education policy no clear and practical directions are indicated and explained regarding the future of cadet colleges and the condition of teachers and other staff and officers of this institution. There should have been a member on the committee from Cadet College. Will these institutions continue working just as they do now or these will be turned into schools is not mentioned in the education policy at all? What will happen to the designation of the faculty members also remains vague. Cadet college occupies a significant position in our secondary and higher secondary levels. It really holds a special position in our educational arena proclaiming some special features of our education system. First feature of this institution is that it is run by armed forces division, taught by civil teachers and the duration of learning and training is six years beginning from seven and ends in twelve. Teachers enjoy the status of officers, a little bit different from civil schools or colleges. The real picture, prospects and the way of managing cadet colleges are still not quite familiar to many. Is it the cause for which the proposed education policy did not mention anything about cadet college?
Md. Masum Billah
Programme Manager: BRAC Education Programme, PACE
Phone: 9355253 (res), 01714-091431(cell)
Email: mmbillah2000@yahoo.com, mmbillah@dhaka.net
Distinguished Features of Brac University
Some Distinguished Features of Brac University
BRAC leaves no vital branch of social development untouched. Its intervention in the education scenario originates from pre-primary education to tertiary level. It launched its tertiary level education intervention in the year 1992 with the establishment of Brac University in response to the growing needs of higher education in the private sector.
Its residential campus standing far from the madding crowd gives it a specialty assuming a different look from the private universities mushroomed scattering their presence in the country. Students hailing from the metropolitan cities to tiny towns of the country embrace the mutual blending of modern architectural and natural phenomena of Khagan Brac University campus. Pupils of villages find known village in their campus with an attractive colour. This quiet and beautiful campus hides itself from the highways and busy roads making it suitable for knowledge imparting and gaining centre of excellence. The campus also steals itself from the public eyes and knowledge. As an individual of Brac Central Education my frequent visit to this dreamy campus of Brac University makes me nostalgic as I used to be the pupil of Jahangirnagar University which resembles this campus.
Brac boasts of having twenty-one training centers with modern amenities and sophisticated education tools and aids. Students of Brac University learn the whole administration of these Training And Resource Centres ( TARC) playing the very practical role. From my experience a real scenario of the stage of drama played by Brac university students remains vivid in my visual memory. One day I got astonished to see a young boy occupied the seat of the In-charge of Savar TARC. Again, the toilet was being washed by another two young and very smart guys. Several young girls of the university were doing the duties of receptionists. The same thing I observed in the main gate of the campus. Suddenly several of my ex-students of ( Rajuk College) came forward and offered me a very cordial salam and kept me informed of that days’ activities in the campus they were going to perform. Really I was impressed to learn this sort of initiative of Brac University to groom the young university students. Young boys carrying brushes cleaning the bathrooms raised questions in my minds first actually who they were. In this way all the duty posts and places occupied by Brac University students fully demonstrate their enthusiasm to have knowledge from the pragmatic fields and real scene which I think very much practical life oriented and other private universities stand far apart from this phenomenon of Brac University.
Alexander Selkerk said, “ O solitude! Where are the charms that sages have seen in thy face?” yes, humans long for solitude and loneliness stands as part of the cycle of life. But it doesn’t retain its charm always. Living in a secluded but shrouded with green foliage for long brings a sort of tiredness and disliking. Brac university students have novelty in this regard. They need not live in the same venue of learning for long. Part of their campus remains in the hue and cry of Dhaka city standing in close contact with busy city road. Attending classes in this chirping campus and they enjoy remaining in their houses in the lap of their parents to strengthen family ties. So, they have the taste of family life, busy city life and secluded but buzzing with fellow students’ campus.
The students of Brac University compulsorily live three months in its Savar campus suitably located twenty kilometers north of the din and bustle of the city of Dhaka. Here learners get a full demonstration of the activities of Brac Training Centre. Learners are to play the role of TARC In-charge, peon, office bearers, cook , waiter etc. these are the reflection of their practical life which they are going to face in future. And it is further from truth that no other private universities running in the country can offer such kind of excellent scope to have practical demonstration to shape their lives.
How students are to match their life away from the family life where they were nurtured from their childhood. They are given the training how to adjust the life without family and near and dear ones. How to manage the affaires of everyday life without the help of family is taught and demonstrated here very pragmatically. Definitely the residential facility gives an excellence to Brac University.
Md. Masum Billah
Programme Manager: BRAC Education Programme, PACE.
Phone: 9355253 (home), 01714-091431 (cell)
Email:mmbillah2000@yahoo.com, mmbillah@dhaka
BRAC leaves no vital branch of social development untouched. Its intervention in the education scenario originates from pre-primary education to tertiary level. It launched its tertiary level education intervention in the year 1992 with the establishment of Brac University in response to the growing needs of higher education in the private sector.
Its residential campus standing far from the madding crowd gives it a specialty assuming a different look from the private universities mushroomed scattering their presence in the country. Students hailing from the metropolitan cities to tiny towns of the country embrace the mutual blending of modern architectural and natural phenomena of Khagan Brac University campus. Pupils of villages find known village in their campus with an attractive colour. This quiet and beautiful campus hides itself from the highways and busy roads making it suitable for knowledge imparting and gaining centre of excellence. The campus also steals itself from the public eyes and knowledge. As an individual of Brac Central Education my frequent visit to this dreamy campus of Brac University makes me nostalgic as I used to be the pupil of Jahangirnagar University which resembles this campus.
Brac boasts of having twenty-one training centers with modern amenities and sophisticated education tools and aids. Students of Brac University learn the whole administration of these Training And Resource Centres ( TARC) playing the very practical role. From my experience a real scenario of the stage of drama played by Brac university students remains vivid in my visual memory. One day I got astonished to see a young boy occupied the seat of the In-charge of Savar TARC. Again, the toilet was being washed by another two young and very smart guys. Several young girls of the university were doing the duties of receptionists. The same thing I observed in the main gate of the campus. Suddenly several of my ex-students of ( Rajuk College) came forward and offered me a very cordial salam and kept me informed of that days’ activities in the campus they were going to perform. Really I was impressed to learn this sort of initiative of Brac University to groom the young university students. Young boys carrying brushes cleaning the bathrooms raised questions in my minds first actually who they were. In this way all the duty posts and places occupied by Brac University students fully demonstrate their enthusiasm to have knowledge from the pragmatic fields and real scene which I think very much practical life oriented and other private universities stand far apart from this phenomenon of Brac University.
Alexander Selkerk said, “ O solitude! Where are the charms that sages have seen in thy face?” yes, humans long for solitude and loneliness stands as part of the cycle of life. But it doesn’t retain its charm always. Living in a secluded but shrouded with green foliage for long brings a sort of tiredness and disliking. Brac university students have novelty in this regard. They need not live in the same venue of learning for long. Part of their campus remains in the hue and cry of Dhaka city standing in close contact with busy city road. Attending classes in this chirping campus and they enjoy remaining in their houses in the lap of their parents to strengthen family ties. So, they have the taste of family life, busy city life and secluded but buzzing with fellow students’ campus.
The students of Brac University compulsorily live three months in its Savar campus suitably located twenty kilometers north of the din and bustle of the city of Dhaka. Here learners get a full demonstration of the activities of Brac Training Centre. Learners are to play the role of TARC In-charge, peon, office bearers, cook , waiter etc. these are the reflection of their practical life which they are going to face in future. And it is further from truth that no other private universities running in the country can offer such kind of excellent scope to have practical demonstration to shape their lives.
How students are to match their life away from the family life where they were nurtured from their childhood. They are given the training how to adjust the life without family and near and dear ones. How to manage the affaires of everyday life without the help of family is taught and demonstrated here very pragmatically. Definitely the residential facility gives an excellence to Brac University.
Md. Masum Billah
Programme Manager: BRAC Education Programme, PACE.
Phone: 9355253 (home), 01714-091431 (cell)
Email:mmbillah2000@yahoo.com, mmbillah@dhaka
(Education-Hope- Reality-New hope)
Book Review (Education-Hope- Reality-New hope)
As I taught in civil and military colleges(cadet colleges) of Bangladesh and my present position assigns me to work with and for the secondary school teachers, any kind of writing or publication regarding education draws my attention more than anything else. The publication of the book titled ‘ Education- Hope Reality and New hope’ by Samir Ranjan Nath, a known figure in the world of Education research in Bangladesh easily attracted me and it received my reading more than once. The information reflected in the book seems very relevant, necessary and fruitful for those who work for education. Now I feel constrained to let the people know the messages of the book that has led me to review it. The book at the very outset reveals the fact that we are still lagging behind the race of education comparing to our neigbouring countries. A massive race of education is supposed to start in our country of gigantic population but it has not happened till today. The writer has aptly identified the lack of necessary infrastructure and political causes responsible for this backwardness. One example proves the truth that few recommendations have so far been materialized since 1947 though fourteen education commissions were formed. Definitively the writer has caught the point that to develop this grand education policy, extensive education research, writing and media coverage are absolutely necessary but they prove to be very scant comparing its magnanimity. Fifteen articles/essays have been included in this book which can be divided into primary, secondary and higher education related essays.
The writer has touched a very sensitive point. Different tables and sections and subsections of our constitution have been revised several times but the sections related to education have so far not been changed highlighting the grim fact of authorities sheer less attention and attaching little importance to education. 17(A) section of our constitution says that the state will ensure popular education and universal education for all boys and girls. In 1990 the law of compulsory primary education was introduced but when will it be completed has not been mentioned clearly. Millennium Development Goals have been fixed by UNO at the beginning of the 2000 with a view to fulfilling the targets by 2015. Health, education, social and economic development factors have been placed. By 2015 both boys and girls will complete their primary education and women empowerment to bring equality between boys an girls. ( p-3) First grand conference was held at Jomtein, Thailand in 1990 and then again in 2000 at Dakar, Senegal focusing on the implementation of fundamental education. The book has rightly pointed out that our constitution and the MDG goals fix up the target regarding education. Only the difference is our constitution did not fix up the date of achievement but MDG fixed it to reach by 2015.
The book bears some important data and information of our education scene which will stand in good stead to the education researchers as well as education managers. Our primary education was nationalized in 1974 but no pragmatic steps has been taken to ensure its quality. It is true that after Jometien conference a new inspiration on education for all was created. (p-5)Progress made in primary education, children aged from 6-10 years 87% go to school, in 1990 this rate was 60%. In secondary level admission rate increased one and a half time in the last seven years. Drop out rate decreased, primary education cycle rate increased, three-fourths students who enroll in primary education complete primary cycle. In primary and secondary levels the enrolment rate of boys and girls shows Bangladesh’s position next to Sri Lanka. The books focuses on political will of the government regarding education, history of education in our country, education situation in our constitution. A comparative situation of both primary and secondary education of present time and the past identifying the problems still plaguing our educational arena. Indigenous children’s necessity, teacher development program and directing a way to address the problems have been pushed into the book. There are 45 kinds of indigenous people in Bangladesh who live in 9388 villages and they constitute 1.6 percent of total population. Though we achieved the participation of primary school children 77 percent, indigenous children’s rate is 57% in 1988. 2005 the difference rate is 7. (p-14).
It also reflects the non-formal primary education system of BRAC which is of one room school and one teacher. Brac started non-formal primary education since 1985. It follows the NCTB syllabus but the mode of operation is different from other institutions of the country .The number of learners is 33 of whom two thirds are girls. One Programme Organizer looks after 12-14 schools. Students complete the five years primary education in four years narrowing the number of holidays and the contact hour is greater everyday. 70percent learners are of the first learners’ family. Brac started primary education for indigenous children in 2003. Now there are 2250 schools where 33 kinds of indigenous children study . (p-17)At present BRAC runs 2205 indigenous schools with 2915 teachers. In 66 schools there are two teachers. About 57, 645 students study here. P20)
The country has seen two developments in the field of education. One is the increased rate of admission and the equality between boys and girls. Compulsory primary education was started in 1898 in England but in our country it started in 1990 meaning we have been lagging behind one hundred years in this race. One crore and eighty lakh students are eligible for receiving primary education every year. But thirteen percent still remain beyond primary education that means more than 23 lakh students get deprived of primary education. After making the primary education compulsory we cannot ensure their participation even after 17 years. Those who enter the primary education half of them drop out of the school due to various socio-economic condition.
On an average 60% students remain present in the class. If all the students would remain present classes cannot accommodate them. 40% children complete primary education without studying. Those who complete only 2% acquire all the qualities and skills determined by the government. Two-thirds children remain unlettered or pre-lettered. Those who enroll in class six, 30% of them pass in the examination taken at the beginning. Those who enroll in class six, one-fifth pass the SSC. Serious discrimination lies in respect of village and town, male and female, financial condition of the family typed of school etc.
Classroom is the weakest area. Just one-way teaching is delivered here. Whether, students understand or not are hardly evaluated. Students are not encouraged to ask questions, if they ask answers are hardly responded. Most teachers show inability to teach hard subjects like English and Mathematics. They don’t have clear and transparent idea about these subjects but they teach without ensuring any benefit for the students. Head teachers cannot dedicate themselves to the interest of education because of their otherwise commitment and business. The chronic problems lying in our education sector drew the attention of the writer which he has reflected in the book for sensitizing all concerned and taking step necessary for its amelioration. (p-9).
A huge number of primary teachers need to be trained but only 54 Primary Training Institutes cannot bring all the teachers under training. After receiving training once, they need refreshers also but no such provision is available which calls for serous attention from the government in general and the Ministry of Education in Particular. The writer has proposed a good thing that is banning C-in- Ed and B.Ed and M.Ed courses should not be confined only to Teachers Training Colleges. It should be opened in general colleges. If it is done the colleges will be able to feed and fill up the gaps of secondary level teachers as this sector seriously suffers from the lack of trained teachers. When schools will recruit trained teachers, they need not spend ten months to receive B.Ed training hampering the normal activities of the school. Only short refreshers can be introduced in that case.
The writer has pinpointed the cause that the teachers and students were never seen to demonstrate for the right to create opportunities for research in higher educational institutions. It is often seen that if any institution wants to conduct a research it cannot depend on the department and so gives the responsibility to a particular teacher. Teachers also become pleased to have the responsibility and work as a consultant. As a result the department of the university cannot be centre of research and students are getting deprived of the works of research. The promotion of teachers in university should be based on how many research works have been published in the international journal. But teachers are promoted on the basis of their political leanings instead. This culture must be abolished once and for all in the greater interest of the nation. As the book touches all tiers of education, I think teachers of all levels can derive practical benefit from it when read.
Md. Masum Billah
Programme Manager: BRAC Education Programme, PACE
Cell: 01714-091431
9355253(res)
Email: mmbillah2000@yahoo.com, mmbillah@dhaka.net
As I taught in civil and military colleges(cadet colleges) of Bangladesh and my present position assigns me to work with and for the secondary school teachers, any kind of writing or publication regarding education draws my attention more than anything else. The publication of the book titled ‘ Education- Hope Reality and New hope’ by Samir Ranjan Nath, a known figure in the world of Education research in Bangladesh easily attracted me and it received my reading more than once. The information reflected in the book seems very relevant, necessary and fruitful for those who work for education. Now I feel constrained to let the people know the messages of the book that has led me to review it. The book at the very outset reveals the fact that we are still lagging behind the race of education comparing to our neigbouring countries. A massive race of education is supposed to start in our country of gigantic population but it has not happened till today. The writer has aptly identified the lack of necessary infrastructure and political causes responsible for this backwardness. One example proves the truth that few recommendations have so far been materialized since 1947 though fourteen education commissions were formed. Definitively the writer has caught the point that to develop this grand education policy, extensive education research, writing and media coverage are absolutely necessary but they prove to be very scant comparing its magnanimity. Fifteen articles/essays have been included in this book which can be divided into primary, secondary and higher education related essays.
The writer has touched a very sensitive point. Different tables and sections and subsections of our constitution have been revised several times but the sections related to education have so far not been changed highlighting the grim fact of authorities sheer less attention and attaching little importance to education. 17(A) section of our constitution says that the state will ensure popular education and universal education for all boys and girls. In 1990 the law of compulsory primary education was introduced but when will it be completed has not been mentioned clearly. Millennium Development Goals have been fixed by UNO at the beginning of the 2000 with a view to fulfilling the targets by 2015. Health, education, social and economic development factors have been placed. By 2015 both boys and girls will complete their primary education and women empowerment to bring equality between boys an girls. ( p-3) First grand conference was held at Jomtein, Thailand in 1990 and then again in 2000 at Dakar, Senegal focusing on the implementation of fundamental education. The book has rightly pointed out that our constitution and the MDG goals fix up the target regarding education. Only the difference is our constitution did not fix up the date of achievement but MDG fixed it to reach by 2015.
The book bears some important data and information of our education scene which will stand in good stead to the education researchers as well as education managers. Our primary education was nationalized in 1974 but no pragmatic steps has been taken to ensure its quality. It is true that after Jometien conference a new inspiration on education for all was created. (p-5)Progress made in primary education, children aged from 6-10 years 87% go to school, in 1990 this rate was 60%. In secondary level admission rate increased one and a half time in the last seven years. Drop out rate decreased, primary education cycle rate increased, three-fourths students who enroll in primary education complete primary cycle. In primary and secondary levels the enrolment rate of boys and girls shows Bangladesh’s position next to Sri Lanka. The books focuses on political will of the government regarding education, history of education in our country, education situation in our constitution. A comparative situation of both primary and secondary education of present time and the past identifying the problems still plaguing our educational arena. Indigenous children’s necessity, teacher development program and directing a way to address the problems have been pushed into the book. There are 45 kinds of indigenous people in Bangladesh who live in 9388 villages and they constitute 1.6 percent of total population. Though we achieved the participation of primary school children 77 percent, indigenous children’s rate is 57% in 1988. 2005 the difference rate is 7. (p-14).
It also reflects the non-formal primary education system of BRAC which is of one room school and one teacher. Brac started non-formal primary education since 1985. It follows the NCTB syllabus but the mode of operation is different from other institutions of the country .The number of learners is 33 of whom two thirds are girls. One Programme Organizer looks after 12-14 schools. Students complete the five years primary education in four years narrowing the number of holidays and the contact hour is greater everyday. 70percent learners are of the first learners’ family. Brac started primary education for indigenous children in 2003. Now there are 2250 schools where 33 kinds of indigenous children study . (p-17)At present BRAC runs 2205 indigenous schools with 2915 teachers. In 66 schools there are two teachers. About 57, 645 students study here. P20)
The country has seen two developments in the field of education. One is the increased rate of admission and the equality between boys and girls. Compulsory primary education was started in 1898 in England but in our country it started in 1990 meaning we have been lagging behind one hundred years in this race. One crore and eighty lakh students are eligible for receiving primary education every year. But thirteen percent still remain beyond primary education that means more than 23 lakh students get deprived of primary education. After making the primary education compulsory we cannot ensure their participation even after 17 years. Those who enter the primary education half of them drop out of the school due to various socio-economic condition.
On an average 60% students remain present in the class. If all the students would remain present classes cannot accommodate them. 40% children complete primary education without studying. Those who complete only 2% acquire all the qualities and skills determined by the government. Two-thirds children remain unlettered or pre-lettered. Those who enroll in class six, 30% of them pass in the examination taken at the beginning. Those who enroll in class six, one-fifth pass the SSC. Serious discrimination lies in respect of village and town, male and female, financial condition of the family typed of school etc.
Classroom is the weakest area. Just one-way teaching is delivered here. Whether, students understand or not are hardly evaluated. Students are not encouraged to ask questions, if they ask answers are hardly responded. Most teachers show inability to teach hard subjects like English and Mathematics. They don’t have clear and transparent idea about these subjects but they teach without ensuring any benefit for the students. Head teachers cannot dedicate themselves to the interest of education because of their otherwise commitment and business. The chronic problems lying in our education sector drew the attention of the writer which he has reflected in the book for sensitizing all concerned and taking step necessary for its amelioration. (p-9).
A huge number of primary teachers need to be trained but only 54 Primary Training Institutes cannot bring all the teachers under training. After receiving training once, they need refreshers also but no such provision is available which calls for serous attention from the government in general and the Ministry of Education in Particular. The writer has proposed a good thing that is banning C-in- Ed and B.Ed and M.Ed courses should not be confined only to Teachers Training Colleges. It should be opened in general colleges. If it is done the colleges will be able to feed and fill up the gaps of secondary level teachers as this sector seriously suffers from the lack of trained teachers. When schools will recruit trained teachers, they need not spend ten months to receive B.Ed training hampering the normal activities of the school. Only short refreshers can be introduced in that case.
The writer has pinpointed the cause that the teachers and students were never seen to demonstrate for the right to create opportunities for research in higher educational institutions. It is often seen that if any institution wants to conduct a research it cannot depend on the department and so gives the responsibility to a particular teacher. Teachers also become pleased to have the responsibility and work as a consultant. As a result the department of the university cannot be centre of research and students are getting deprived of the works of research. The promotion of teachers in university should be based on how many research works have been published in the international journal. But teachers are promoted on the basis of their political leanings instead. This culture must be abolished once and for all in the greater interest of the nation. As the book touches all tiers of education, I think teachers of all levels can derive practical benefit from it when read.
Md. Masum Billah
Programme Manager: BRAC Education Programme, PACE
Cell: 01714-091431
9355253(res)
Email: mmbillah2000@yahoo.com, mmbillah@dhaka.net
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Primary Teachers Against Brac Supervision
Primary Teachers Protest Government’s Decision of Brac Supervision
The Primary School teachers under different banners of their association have registered their protest of the government decision to allow Brac to supervise and monitor all the primary schools in twenty upazilas. Without learning the facts and findings and background this news definitely infuriates the teaching community belonging to this tier of education who enjoys the status of government employee except some community primary schools. They arranged a press conference to make the nation know the government decision which they apprehend as the initiation of privatizing primary education. They strongly protested this decision. The teachers of the country threatened to go for tougher movement against the government decision of handing over the responsibilities to Brac, a non-government organization to supervise all primary schools in twenty upazilas.
Bangladesh Primary Teachers’ Association, Bangladesh Private Primary Teachers Association, Bangladesh Graduate Primary Teachers Association and Bangladesh Community Primary Teachers Association jointly organized a press conference on May 27 at BPTA office and demanded withdrawal of government decision on monitoring of all the primary schools in twenty upazilas across the country. They declared a series of programmes which include submission of memorandum to adviser and secretary for primary and mass education , director general of the directorate of primary education and other concerned authorities. Besides, they will also wear black badges across the country on June 10-12 and will also submit memorandum to the chief adviser on June 12.“ The main objective of NGOs in the country is to start micro credit programme if they enter any school in the name of monitoring quality education, the workers will definitely launch their prefixed credit programme.” said BPFTA President Mohammad Shamsul Alam at the press conference. He also said the government must lift the decision within next ten days otherwise they would go for countrywide tougher movement to compel the government to cancel it as they did in 1981.
Wahiduzzaman Miah, president of BPTA, apprehended that country’s primary educational system supervised by such inexperienced institution like Brac as it could not continue its own schools in remote areas for ‘mismanagement’. This comment of the president of BPTA calls for serious scrutiny and the facts regarding Brac’s experience in running primary schools needs to be unfolded before the nation. Brac actually launched its experimental Education Programme in 1985 with 22 one-room primary schools. The Brac Education Programme is now a leader in providing non-formal primary education to underprivileged children out of the formal education system. Brac schools work to build the skills and confidence level of the children and motivate them to continue their education through the formal system. Brac Education Programme currently operates several types of primary schools such as Brac Primary schools, Brac Adolescent Primary Schools, Educational Support Programmes Schools and Urban Cluster Schools and Education for Indigenous Children Schools. Brac arranges monthly refreshers, year ending and subject –based training for its primary teachers. Brac also conducts subject based training in secondary schools teachers particularly English, Mathematics and Science teachers in Brac’s own training centres which are well equipped. Brac has also mentoring programme for the secondary level students who play pioneering role in enhancing the attendance of the students and other co- curricular activities of the school.
Brac disseminates training to subject teachers to further develop the capacity of the teachers.
In recent years, Brac Education Programme’s services have expanded nationally to offer specialized educational access to children of ethnic minority groups. the inclusion of children with special need, the provision of continuing education and life skills training to adolescent in service teacher training for primary and secondary school teachers as well . BEP has also expanded internationally with the introduction of Brac schools in Afghanistan and the replication of Brac schools model in Haiti , Sudan and other African countries. To date 3, 492,065 children have graduated from Brac Primary school system and 93% of them made the transition into secondary schools in the formal system. At the end of 2006 BEP was operating 32000 primary and 20168 pre-primary schools all over Bangladesh that were providing education to over 1.5 million disadvantaged children of whom 65% were girls.
Education Development Unit of Brac Educaiton programme designs and disseminates curriculum-strategies, user-friendly materials and interactive instructional methods needed for attaining educational goals in Brac schools. Capacity Development Unit is responsible for training and professional development including skills development of all BEP teachers and support staff. It focuses on contributing to BEP’s efforts to provide quality education by significantly improving the delivery of education in its schools through the improvement of the equality of the teaching –learning process. It also conducts follow-up training. It collaborates with Quality Assurance Specialist to ensure the operational and pedagogical aspect of training and development of staff.
Khondaker M Asaduzzaman, director general of directorate of primary education responded to the leaders of primary school teachers association saying “The pilot programme of Brac will assist government’s second phase of Primary Education Development Programme (PEDP). Monitoring of the government programme on primary has not been given to Brac or any other NGO.” This is the point which was supposed to be crystal clear to the teaching community of this level otherwise this kind of decision must receive serious protest which is happening now causing a serious setback in primary education. Government should have consulted the teachers, community leaders, teacher leaders and the guardians. Whatever good intension lies behind this decision it seems to be one-sided and keeps ample scope for criticism. The aims, objectives, purpose and way of monitoring, the extent of monitoring needed to be explained to the stakeholders. Their apprehension to bracise or to introduce micro-credit through this initiative leaves grounds. A survey and an open discussion were essential to dispel the uncertainties and apprehension fomented in the minds of teachers, community leaders and guardians.
The success stories of Brac primary education have been followed and replicated in many developing countries of the world. Brac actually expands non-formal education for those who don’t have access to government and traditional way of primary education. According to the availability of schooling time education has been arranged for the disadvantaged. This fact may not be known to the government primary school teachers. Had they known it definitely they would not have shown such kind of apprehension regarding Brac.
Primary and Mass Education Adviser , Rasheda K. Choudhury said to the media men. “We need supports from all stakeholders including NGOs for improving the quality of education in primary level. With this end in view we gave an NGO the responsibility of monitoring all the primary schools in twenty Upazilas across the country. It is an experimental programme , not a permanent one.” She further said that Ministry and Directorate of Primary Education will monitor the pilot project and make a report after completion of mid-term and final supervision evaluating the performance of the NGO. The ministry will cancel the pilot project if the NGO fails to reach the target.” These statements came when the teachers have already burst into protest. We expected these arguments and plans must have been transparent and clear to the media men and all the stakeholders. Then the misunderstanding among the teaching community would have been dispelled. She requested the newsmen to spread this message among the teachers. But we think government should talk to the teachers directly otherwise the confusion and misunderstanding already developed among the teachers may not disappear so easily.
Education is a matter of spontaneity and pleasure particularly in the primary education where coercion or force hardly works. Teachers of this level must be involved to take any decision. Brac has many successful stories regarding education management which must be made open and clear to the teachers of primary level. Their future plan, involvement and contribution must have been discussed openly. Education is a gigantic field with manifold problems imparting low quality education comparing to other countries which is still unknown to our teaching community. It is not possible for the government alone to address the problems lying in this sector and ensure quality education for all. The involvement of non-government origination is the needs of the time. No small interest should be given priority rather greater and national interest must reign supreme here where concerned people’s consensus, cooperation, cordiality and good understanding is a must and government should play the role of guardian in this respect.
Md. Masum Billah
The writer is an educationist and regularly writes columns on educational and international issues (at present he is Programme Manager of BEP, PACE)
Phone: 9355253 (home) 01714-091431 (cell)
The Primary School teachers under different banners of their association have registered their protest of the government decision to allow Brac to supervise and monitor all the primary schools in twenty upazilas. Without learning the facts and findings and background this news definitely infuriates the teaching community belonging to this tier of education who enjoys the status of government employee except some community primary schools. They arranged a press conference to make the nation know the government decision which they apprehend as the initiation of privatizing primary education. They strongly protested this decision. The teachers of the country threatened to go for tougher movement against the government decision of handing over the responsibilities to Brac, a non-government organization to supervise all primary schools in twenty upazilas.
Bangladesh Primary Teachers’ Association, Bangladesh Private Primary Teachers Association, Bangladesh Graduate Primary Teachers Association and Bangladesh Community Primary Teachers Association jointly organized a press conference on May 27 at BPTA office and demanded withdrawal of government decision on monitoring of all the primary schools in twenty upazilas across the country. They declared a series of programmes which include submission of memorandum to adviser and secretary for primary and mass education , director general of the directorate of primary education and other concerned authorities. Besides, they will also wear black badges across the country on June 10-12 and will also submit memorandum to the chief adviser on June 12.“ The main objective of NGOs in the country is to start micro credit programme if they enter any school in the name of monitoring quality education, the workers will definitely launch their prefixed credit programme.” said BPFTA President Mohammad Shamsul Alam at the press conference. He also said the government must lift the decision within next ten days otherwise they would go for countrywide tougher movement to compel the government to cancel it as they did in 1981.
Wahiduzzaman Miah, president of BPTA, apprehended that country’s primary educational system supervised by such inexperienced institution like Brac as it could not continue its own schools in remote areas for ‘mismanagement’. This comment of the president of BPTA calls for serious scrutiny and the facts regarding Brac’s experience in running primary schools needs to be unfolded before the nation. Brac actually launched its experimental Education Programme in 1985 with 22 one-room primary schools. The Brac Education Programme is now a leader in providing non-formal primary education to underprivileged children out of the formal education system. Brac schools work to build the skills and confidence level of the children and motivate them to continue their education through the formal system. Brac Education Programme currently operates several types of primary schools such as Brac Primary schools, Brac Adolescent Primary Schools, Educational Support Programmes Schools and Urban Cluster Schools and Education for Indigenous Children Schools. Brac arranges monthly refreshers, year ending and subject –based training for its primary teachers. Brac also conducts subject based training in secondary schools teachers particularly English, Mathematics and Science teachers in Brac’s own training centres which are well equipped. Brac has also mentoring programme for the secondary level students who play pioneering role in enhancing the attendance of the students and other co- curricular activities of the school.
Brac disseminates training to subject teachers to further develop the capacity of the teachers.
In recent years, Brac Education Programme’s services have expanded nationally to offer specialized educational access to children of ethnic minority groups. the inclusion of children with special need, the provision of continuing education and life skills training to adolescent in service teacher training for primary and secondary school teachers as well . BEP has also expanded internationally with the introduction of Brac schools in Afghanistan and the replication of Brac schools model in Haiti , Sudan and other African countries. To date 3, 492,065 children have graduated from Brac Primary school system and 93% of them made the transition into secondary schools in the formal system. At the end of 2006 BEP was operating 32000 primary and 20168 pre-primary schools all over Bangladesh that were providing education to over 1.5 million disadvantaged children of whom 65% were girls.
Education Development Unit of Brac Educaiton programme designs and disseminates curriculum-strategies, user-friendly materials and interactive instructional methods needed for attaining educational goals in Brac schools. Capacity Development Unit is responsible for training and professional development including skills development of all BEP teachers and support staff. It focuses on contributing to BEP’s efforts to provide quality education by significantly improving the delivery of education in its schools through the improvement of the equality of the teaching –learning process. It also conducts follow-up training. It collaborates with Quality Assurance Specialist to ensure the operational and pedagogical aspect of training and development of staff.
Khondaker M Asaduzzaman, director general of directorate of primary education responded to the leaders of primary school teachers association saying “The pilot programme of Brac will assist government’s second phase of Primary Education Development Programme (PEDP). Monitoring of the government programme on primary has not been given to Brac or any other NGO.” This is the point which was supposed to be crystal clear to the teaching community of this level otherwise this kind of decision must receive serious protest which is happening now causing a serious setback in primary education. Government should have consulted the teachers, community leaders, teacher leaders and the guardians. Whatever good intension lies behind this decision it seems to be one-sided and keeps ample scope for criticism. The aims, objectives, purpose and way of monitoring, the extent of monitoring needed to be explained to the stakeholders. Their apprehension to bracise or to introduce micro-credit through this initiative leaves grounds. A survey and an open discussion were essential to dispel the uncertainties and apprehension fomented in the minds of teachers, community leaders and guardians.
The success stories of Brac primary education have been followed and replicated in many developing countries of the world. Brac actually expands non-formal education for those who don’t have access to government and traditional way of primary education. According to the availability of schooling time education has been arranged for the disadvantaged. This fact may not be known to the government primary school teachers. Had they known it definitely they would not have shown such kind of apprehension regarding Brac.
Primary and Mass Education Adviser , Rasheda K. Choudhury said to the media men. “We need supports from all stakeholders including NGOs for improving the quality of education in primary level. With this end in view we gave an NGO the responsibility of monitoring all the primary schools in twenty Upazilas across the country. It is an experimental programme , not a permanent one.” She further said that Ministry and Directorate of Primary Education will monitor the pilot project and make a report after completion of mid-term and final supervision evaluating the performance of the NGO. The ministry will cancel the pilot project if the NGO fails to reach the target.” These statements came when the teachers have already burst into protest. We expected these arguments and plans must have been transparent and clear to the media men and all the stakeholders. Then the misunderstanding among the teaching community would have been dispelled. She requested the newsmen to spread this message among the teachers. But we think government should talk to the teachers directly otherwise the confusion and misunderstanding already developed among the teachers may not disappear so easily.
Education is a matter of spontaneity and pleasure particularly in the primary education where coercion or force hardly works. Teachers of this level must be involved to take any decision. Brac has many successful stories regarding education management which must be made open and clear to the teachers of primary level. Their future plan, involvement and contribution must have been discussed openly. Education is a gigantic field with manifold problems imparting low quality education comparing to other countries which is still unknown to our teaching community. It is not possible for the government alone to address the problems lying in this sector and ensure quality education for all. The involvement of non-government origination is the needs of the time. No small interest should be given priority rather greater and national interest must reign supreme here where concerned people’s consensus, cooperation, cordiality and good understanding is a must and government should play the role of guardian in this respect.
Md. Masum Billah
The writer is an educationist and regularly writes columns on educational and international issues (at present he is Programme Manager of BEP, PACE)
Phone: 9355253 (home) 01714-091431 (cell)
Private university students protest against VAT
Private university students protest against VAT
Nobel Laureate Professor Mohammad Yunus said, “ The government does not need to do much for the people, let it just remove the obstacles. People themselves will run with much speed.” Really so. Whenever we want to go ahead, we just face huge state barriers in the form of bureaucratic tangle, police obstruction, checking, collecting a series of documents and finally unnecessary harassment. You face problem on the road but no help from the police until you pay. You have become sick, no treatment in the government hospital. Yes, you can receive treatment according to the degree of your financial ability meaning the poor and middle class don’t have treatment. If you want to educate your children, you must spend a lot. When you fail to do it, no education is available for your children. The number of government schools and colleges proves awfully small comparing to the increasing number of population. In the field of communication private sector has brought about revolution. When it was under government control, people had to wait for a telephone connection year after year and spend mad amount of money. After being connected, it used to become the perennial flow of income of the dishonest line men and others of telephone department. When situation made the government bound to make the barrier a little bit loose, the private sector came in and brought revolution. What the government did, it just imposed VAT and so called tax which increased a mobile SIM from one hundred taka to twelve hundred during the BNP regime. This is what our government can do for us.
The National Board of Revenue in June through letters to private universities imposed the 4.5 percent value added tax on admission fees, tuition fees and other charges. The private university authorities urged the finance minister to withdraw the VAT but to no avail. They expressed fears of student unrest. But the government did not pay heed to it. Following this incident a few hundred agitated students of several private universities blocked Gulshan-Mohakhali Road for several hours on July 26 afternoon, demanding withdrawal of VAT on tuition fees. The students of North South University, East West University, American International University of Bangladesh, BRAC University, Dhaka International University and some other private universities took to the streets around 1:00pm demanding withdrawal of 4.5 VAT slapped on their tuition and other fees. They said they formed human chain around noon on both sides of the Airport Road between Mohakahli and Kakoli as per their earlier announced program. They think this VAT is quite ‘ illogical and discriminatory’ putting forward the argument that the government gives subsidy to the state run/public universities whereas private university students already pay an enhanced amount of fees which is not affordable for many guardians. The small number of seats in public universities, session jam, political unrest and clash, teachers’ non-accountability, poor quality education can be attributed to the rising of private universities. Some of the private universities are doing very good. The influx of higher middle class and higher class students who used to go to our neigbouring country and other countries to receive higher education now find their place in our own private universities helping our economy because they don’t spend their educational expense outside the country. When most of the students of private universities belong to middle class they cannot really afford to pay more. It does not necessarily mean that they have the ability to pay more as they already pay an enhanced amount of fees. Actually, situation has compelled them to pay the rich fees in spite of their parent’s meager income. What the government can do for private university is to pressurize to enhance the quality of education and for financial matter; it can impose a little bit tax on the university, not on the students at all.
The government meets huge loss every year in the state run Bangladesh Biman, Bangladesh Railway, BIWATA, BJMC, BTMC and many other state owned enterprises. It is the inability of the government to reduce the loss, let alone make these enterprises profitable. The government’s inability to reduce financial loss cannot be imposed on the students. Huge wastage of state money is a regular phenomenon. Government just rear and nurture the dishonest and corrupt officials of these above mentioned organizations with the taxes collected from the honest income groups. It’s a serious discrimination in the society. Poor nation’s education deserves state facilities. Government must be efficient in reducing and minimizing state wastage of money and corruption without imposing extra financial burden on the students.
VAT in the private universities is foreign to the system in SAARC countries’ education. So, why should we ?. Our Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid is a very reasonable person and he used to do ideal policies in his student life. We expect very reasonable step from him. He of course assured saying “Even though it is a decision of the finance ministry and the matter lies with the finance ministry and the National Board of Revenue. I, on behalf of the students, would talk to the finance minster and the board chairman to solve the issue. “
Mohammad Rafqul Alam a student of AIUB said, they blocked the road after forming the human chain in the hope that they would get assurance from the government about their demand. The government must instantly address the situation as students easily take to the streets to draw the attention of all. When they do so, serious traffic congestion creates over the existing traffic problems. Students become agitated and they apply their anger to the stranded vehicles. These things are not unknown to the authorities concerned and the government. Before taking to the street students should have been heard. They have very genuine causes. “Education is not a commodity and the government cannot impose any VAT on it. How could the government impose VAT on private universities when it is giving subsidy to public university?” asked the students. Of course, it does not have any answer. Maruf Hossain, a student of Dhaka International University said, “ The extra cost is a huge burden on the students belonging to middleclass and lower middleclass families who also have to deal with the hefty tuition fees for the universities.” The universities are also increasing their fees quite frequently. Prof. Alimullah Mian, secretary general of the Association of Private Universities of Bangladesh told that the VAT would definitely be a burden on the students and their parents who are spending their hard-earned money for their children’s education.
Vehicles movement on the Airport Road came to a halt as the agitated student took positions on the road. They damaged some vehicles by hurling bricks. The blockade started at 2:30 pm on Bannai-Mohakhali Road. The police said the students damaged 25-30vehicles on the road. They later engaged in chase and counter chase with the police. Some students got severe beating which is another common game with the police. It must be stopped as well. One student is beaten by several police personnel. Why such kind of brutality? It means opportunity has come, so let us use it. Are the student’s criminals that several police will beat one student? The agitation led to huge traffic gridlock, causing untold suffering to thousands of passengers. I myself had to walk from Banani to BRAC Head Office leaving the office car while coming from Uttara after waiting in the car for more than one hour. I noticed the untold miseries of thousands of passengers including many children and women. What happened to those who are physically disabled? After waiting for three or four hours in the scorching heat in the car, passengers started walking but what about the patients and physically disabled people? We never think of these phenomena. We just think let the agitator do whatever they like. We never try to address the ways and means so that no group can come to the street, maybe it is garment workers, students, political supporters. We just let loose and take less care. When some extreme things happen, all concerned try to redress it in many ways when time is too late. Our state university campuses have been vitiated severely, no fruitful action is taken there. Private universities have been so far calm and cool except some minor incidents. Here again, the decision of the government has made it unrest. Let us, try our level best to keep these campuses free from all sorts of unrest which has severely engulfed our public universities. Public universities have poisoned severely from student to teacher, from peon to officials. Teachers feel proud to identify themselves as members of ‘white panel, blue panel etc. without identifying themselves as conductors of research and education.
Md. Masum Billah
Programme Manager: BRAC Education Program, PACE
Cell: 01714-091431, 9355253(home)
Email: mmbillah2000@yahoo.com, mmbillah@dhaka.net
Nobel Laureate Professor Mohammad Yunus said, “ The government does not need to do much for the people, let it just remove the obstacles. People themselves will run with much speed.” Really so. Whenever we want to go ahead, we just face huge state barriers in the form of bureaucratic tangle, police obstruction, checking, collecting a series of documents and finally unnecessary harassment. You face problem on the road but no help from the police until you pay. You have become sick, no treatment in the government hospital. Yes, you can receive treatment according to the degree of your financial ability meaning the poor and middle class don’t have treatment. If you want to educate your children, you must spend a lot. When you fail to do it, no education is available for your children. The number of government schools and colleges proves awfully small comparing to the increasing number of population. In the field of communication private sector has brought about revolution. When it was under government control, people had to wait for a telephone connection year after year and spend mad amount of money. After being connected, it used to become the perennial flow of income of the dishonest line men and others of telephone department. When situation made the government bound to make the barrier a little bit loose, the private sector came in and brought revolution. What the government did, it just imposed VAT and so called tax which increased a mobile SIM from one hundred taka to twelve hundred during the BNP regime. This is what our government can do for us.
The National Board of Revenue in June through letters to private universities imposed the 4.5 percent value added tax on admission fees, tuition fees and other charges. The private university authorities urged the finance minister to withdraw the VAT but to no avail. They expressed fears of student unrest. But the government did not pay heed to it. Following this incident a few hundred agitated students of several private universities blocked Gulshan-Mohakhali Road for several hours on July 26 afternoon, demanding withdrawal of VAT on tuition fees. The students of North South University, East West University, American International University of Bangladesh, BRAC University, Dhaka International University and some other private universities took to the streets around 1:00pm demanding withdrawal of 4.5 VAT slapped on their tuition and other fees. They said they formed human chain around noon on both sides of the Airport Road between Mohakahli and Kakoli as per their earlier announced program. They think this VAT is quite ‘ illogical and discriminatory’ putting forward the argument that the government gives subsidy to the state run/public universities whereas private university students already pay an enhanced amount of fees which is not affordable for many guardians. The small number of seats in public universities, session jam, political unrest and clash, teachers’ non-accountability, poor quality education can be attributed to the rising of private universities. Some of the private universities are doing very good. The influx of higher middle class and higher class students who used to go to our neigbouring country and other countries to receive higher education now find their place in our own private universities helping our economy because they don’t spend their educational expense outside the country. When most of the students of private universities belong to middle class they cannot really afford to pay more. It does not necessarily mean that they have the ability to pay more as they already pay an enhanced amount of fees. Actually, situation has compelled them to pay the rich fees in spite of their parent’s meager income. What the government can do for private university is to pressurize to enhance the quality of education and for financial matter; it can impose a little bit tax on the university, not on the students at all.
The government meets huge loss every year in the state run Bangladesh Biman, Bangladesh Railway, BIWATA, BJMC, BTMC and many other state owned enterprises. It is the inability of the government to reduce the loss, let alone make these enterprises profitable. The government’s inability to reduce financial loss cannot be imposed on the students. Huge wastage of state money is a regular phenomenon. Government just rear and nurture the dishonest and corrupt officials of these above mentioned organizations with the taxes collected from the honest income groups. It’s a serious discrimination in the society. Poor nation’s education deserves state facilities. Government must be efficient in reducing and minimizing state wastage of money and corruption without imposing extra financial burden on the students.
VAT in the private universities is foreign to the system in SAARC countries’ education. So, why should we ?. Our Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid is a very reasonable person and he used to do ideal policies in his student life. We expect very reasonable step from him. He of course assured saying “Even though it is a decision of the finance ministry and the matter lies with the finance ministry and the National Board of Revenue. I, on behalf of the students, would talk to the finance minster and the board chairman to solve the issue. “
Mohammad Rafqul Alam a student of AIUB said, they blocked the road after forming the human chain in the hope that they would get assurance from the government about their demand. The government must instantly address the situation as students easily take to the streets to draw the attention of all. When they do so, serious traffic congestion creates over the existing traffic problems. Students become agitated and they apply their anger to the stranded vehicles. These things are not unknown to the authorities concerned and the government. Before taking to the street students should have been heard. They have very genuine causes. “Education is not a commodity and the government cannot impose any VAT on it. How could the government impose VAT on private universities when it is giving subsidy to public university?” asked the students. Of course, it does not have any answer. Maruf Hossain, a student of Dhaka International University said, “ The extra cost is a huge burden on the students belonging to middleclass and lower middleclass families who also have to deal with the hefty tuition fees for the universities.” The universities are also increasing their fees quite frequently. Prof. Alimullah Mian, secretary general of the Association of Private Universities of Bangladesh told that the VAT would definitely be a burden on the students and their parents who are spending their hard-earned money for their children’s education.
Vehicles movement on the Airport Road came to a halt as the agitated student took positions on the road. They damaged some vehicles by hurling bricks. The blockade started at 2:30 pm on Bannai-Mohakhali Road. The police said the students damaged 25-30vehicles on the road. They later engaged in chase and counter chase with the police. Some students got severe beating which is another common game with the police. It must be stopped as well. One student is beaten by several police personnel. Why such kind of brutality? It means opportunity has come, so let us use it. Are the student’s criminals that several police will beat one student? The agitation led to huge traffic gridlock, causing untold suffering to thousands of passengers. I myself had to walk from Banani to BRAC Head Office leaving the office car while coming from Uttara after waiting in the car for more than one hour. I noticed the untold miseries of thousands of passengers including many children and women. What happened to those who are physically disabled? After waiting for three or four hours in the scorching heat in the car, passengers started walking but what about the patients and physically disabled people? We never think of these phenomena. We just think let the agitator do whatever they like. We never try to address the ways and means so that no group can come to the street, maybe it is garment workers, students, political supporters. We just let loose and take less care. When some extreme things happen, all concerned try to redress it in many ways when time is too late. Our state university campuses have been vitiated severely, no fruitful action is taken there. Private universities have been so far calm and cool except some minor incidents. Here again, the decision of the government has made it unrest. Let us, try our level best to keep these campuses free from all sorts of unrest which has severely engulfed our public universities. Public universities have poisoned severely from student to teacher, from peon to officials. Teachers feel proud to identify themselves as members of ‘white panel, blue panel etc. without identifying themselves as conductors of research and education.
Md. Masum Billah
Programme Manager: BRAC Education Program, PACE
Cell: 01714-091431, 9355253(home)
Email: mmbillah2000@yahoo.com, mmbillah@dhaka.net
Ban on Private Coaching
Ban on Private Coaching
An article in the Op-ed page by Hussain Imam on August 13 and a timely editorial on August 14 appeared in the Daily Star on private coaching. The editorial goes like this, Private tuition has become a roaring business and had reached an obnoxious level with the mushrooming of a huge number of coaching centers, mostly in the last decade and many run by serving school teachers, and this at the expense of classroom teaching which naturally was bound to suffer. The government has now put a bar on private coaching with the caveat that schools can run extra classes for the extra meritorious students and weaker section of the students, and that too only after class hours for which the teachers would be remunerated. The news has not yet spread across the country or media still seems to be reticent in spreading the message. We, the readers are, not sure whether the government has already taken the decision or contemplating to put a ban on private coaching. The task is gigantic and challenging.
The BNP-led four party alliance governments did a very commendable job by completely stopping copying in the examination, which engulfed the whole nation throwing the assessment system in the shamble. It was a revolutionary step indeed. The conscious educationists gave up the hope of curing the malady in the midst of so much politicization of education. However, finally it became a success. The present government also has taken some laudable steps in the field of education by distributing books free of cost and forming an education commission to present a reasonable education policy to the nation. The government can earn much credit by removing the social malady in the name of ‘private coaching’ along with these two epoch-making these in the greater interest of the nation.
Brilliant teachers should have the scope to earn more in honest ways. Scopes should be made for them so that they can be creative enough and practice professional development. Otherwise, brilliant students will come to teaching profession which will be a serious loss for the nation because low qualified and non-creative teachers can hardly give anything to the nation rather does an irreparable loss to the students. Private coaching has turned the teachers even the creative ones stereotyped ones. They have lost their creative faculty because of the lack of practice. They remain busy with the touch and pass system and earn name, fame and make fortune by virtue of this system. No touch of creativity is available there which is of utmost importance for a teacher who shoulders the responsibility to build the future leaders of the country.
Many teachers argue that because of private coaching the results have got improved. Actually it’s a false notion. Students and guardians have become depended on the system and more so, they have become bound to follow the system developed in the educational arena. The students and guardians have to spend a huge amount of time on the way, in the coaching centers and teachers’ house. Pupils hardly get any time to study by themselves which is a of great importance. They cannot give concentration on their studies. Moreover, guardians face huge financial constraint as a lion’s share of their income goes to private coaching. Students need peaceful time and mind to give concentration on studies at home. This tradition has started to lose totally. As a student has to move around almost five or six teachers a day posing to be a mad rush and mad game which we cannot afford to see any more.
. Hsain Imam wrote in his article, “It was also not common to take systematic private coaching as has to be invariably pursued these days, for admission to any level be it school, college or university. In those days except for BUET, there was probably no system of written admission test for admission into the universities or colleges. A student seeking admission into a good university or college needed, at best, a good second division. If he had a first division, he was admitted with what one may call’ jamai adar’.” Exactly so. Those second division holders students and teachers had depth of their subject. But now students don’t go deep into their subjects , they just manage grades by the techniques developed by the private teachers and coaching centres.
The whole nation will be benefited if ban on private coaching can be successfully implemented. Only a few private practicing teaching may have some little financial loss for the time being. The guardians always remain in tension as I see my wife continuously remain busy with my daughter taking her to different teachers’ houses. It is a common picture in almost all the school and college going students’ houses. Guardians along with the pupils are getting psychologically affected. Every family of this kind faces financial constraint only for this cause otherwise they could manage somehow. Visiting various teachers’ house also contributes a great deal to causing traffic jam . Considering all these sides, time is ripe to take the decision to put a stop to private coaching. Institutional teaching must be established at any cost. There is no alternative to it. Now the presence of students in the class registers very thin, whereas they crowd in the teachers’ hoses or in the coaching centres. This bad tradition must be annihilated once and for all.
Md. Masum Billah
Programme Manager: BRAC Education Programme, PACE
Cell: 01714-091431 , 9355253(home)
Email: mmbillah2000@yahoo.com, mmbillah@dhaka.net
An article in the Op-ed page by Hussain Imam on August 13 and a timely editorial on August 14 appeared in the Daily Star on private coaching. The editorial goes like this, Private tuition has become a roaring business and had reached an obnoxious level with the mushrooming of a huge number of coaching centers, mostly in the last decade and many run by serving school teachers, and this at the expense of classroom teaching which naturally was bound to suffer. The government has now put a bar on private coaching with the caveat that schools can run extra classes for the extra meritorious students and weaker section of the students, and that too only after class hours for which the teachers would be remunerated. The news has not yet spread across the country or media still seems to be reticent in spreading the message. We, the readers are, not sure whether the government has already taken the decision or contemplating to put a ban on private coaching. The task is gigantic and challenging.
The BNP-led four party alliance governments did a very commendable job by completely stopping copying in the examination, which engulfed the whole nation throwing the assessment system in the shamble. It was a revolutionary step indeed. The conscious educationists gave up the hope of curing the malady in the midst of so much politicization of education. However, finally it became a success. The present government also has taken some laudable steps in the field of education by distributing books free of cost and forming an education commission to present a reasonable education policy to the nation. The government can earn much credit by removing the social malady in the name of ‘private coaching’ along with these two epoch-making these in the greater interest of the nation.
Brilliant teachers should have the scope to earn more in honest ways. Scopes should be made for them so that they can be creative enough and practice professional development. Otherwise, brilliant students will come to teaching profession which will be a serious loss for the nation because low qualified and non-creative teachers can hardly give anything to the nation rather does an irreparable loss to the students. Private coaching has turned the teachers even the creative ones stereotyped ones. They have lost their creative faculty because of the lack of practice. They remain busy with the touch and pass system and earn name, fame and make fortune by virtue of this system. No touch of creativity is available there which is of utmost importance for a teacher who shoulders the responsibility to build the future leaders of the country.
Many teachers argue that because of private coaching the results have got improved. Actually it’s a false notion. Students and guardians have become depended on the system and more so, they have become bound to follow the system developed in the educational arena. The students and guardians have to spend a huge amount of time on the way, in the coaching centers and teachers’ house. Pupils hardly get any time to study by themselves which is a of great importance. They cannot give concentration on their studies. Moreover, guardians face huge financial constraint as a lion’s share of their income goes to private coaching. Students need peaceful time and mind to give concentration on studies at home. This tradition has started to lose totally. As a student has to move around almost five or six teachers a day posing to be a mad rush and mad game which we cannot afford to see any more.
. Hsain Imam wrote in his article, “It was also not common to take systematic private coaching as has to be invariably pursued these days, for admission to any level be it school, college or university. In those days except for BUET, there was probably no system of written admission test for admission into the universities or colleges. A student seeking admission into a good university or college needed, at best, a good second division. If he had a first division, he was admitted with what one may call’ jamai adar’.” Exactly so. Those second division holders students and teachers had depth of their subject. But now students don’t go deep into their subjects , they just manage grades by the techniques developed by the private teachers and coaching centres.
The whole nation will be benefited if ban on private coaching can be successfully implemented. Only a few private practicing teaching may have some little financial loss for the time being. The guardians always remain in tension as I see my wife continuously remain busy with my daughter taking her to different teachers’ houses. It is a common picture in almost all the school and college going students’ houses. Guardians along with the pupils are getting psychologically affected. Every family of this kind faces financial constraint only for this cause otherwise they could manage somehow. Visiting various teachers’ house also contributes a great deal to causing traffic jam . Considering all these sides, time is ripe to take the decision to put a stop to private coaching. Institutional teaching must be established at any cost. There is no alternative to it. Now the presence of students in the class registers very thin, whereas they crowd in the teachers’ hoses or in the coaching centres. This bad tradition must be annihilated once and for all.
Md. Masum Billah
Programme Manager: BRAC Education Programme, PACE
Cell: 01714-091431 , 9355253(home)
Email: mmbillah2000@yahoo.com, mmbillah@dhaka.net
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