Dhaka //

Morcha Mass Literacy Abhiyan of non-governmental organizations working on education has recommended not to divide departments (Science, Humanities and Business Education etc.) in Class IX. The organization says that the division of specialized sections from Class IX is creating disparity in education and society. The organization has made various proposals from pre-primary to higher education, including education commission to eliminate the disparity in education, and said that the entire structure of the education system should be modernized.

Mass Literacy Campaign presented these proposals in a press briefing organized on ‘Continuous Transformation in Education to Eliminate Inequality: Perspective Bangladesh’ at Sirdap Auditorium in the capital on Wednesday. Rasheda K Chowdhury, Executive Director of Mass Literacy Campaign and former caretaker government advisor, summarized the proposals at a press briefing. At the same time detailed proposals and recommendations made in written form are given to the journalists. Rasheda K Chowdhury said that these proposals will be given to the Ministry of Education, primary and anti-discrimination student movement coordinators.

In Madhyamik, until the eighth standard, all the students had to divide the department in the ninth standard to study the same subject. But as per the new curriculum, departmental division (Science, Humanities and Business Education etc. branches) has been done away with from this year in Class IX. But the interim government has decided to start the division into secondary schools again according to the 2012 curriculum, excluding many things including this aspect of the new curriculum.

According to today’s news briefing, acquiring the fundamental concepts of science education is essential for all students. Because people learn science not only to become scientists or science-related professionals; Rather, when all students acquire the basic concepts of science, they acquire scientific literacy for their daily life needs. But the division of specialized sections from Class IX is creating disparity in education and society.

Bangladesh Bureau of Education Information and Statistics (BANBAIS) said in a press conference that 30 percent of the total students of the ninth grade are enrolled in the science department in the country (before 2023). About 20 percent of these science students go on to commerce or arts in higher secondary. That means, about 80 percent of students finish secondary education without acquiring a basic understanding of science. On the other hand, among the total number of ninth grade students enrolled in science, the number of female students is only 15 percent, which is half of the male students. Hence, division of class in class 9 is also creating huge gender disparity.

From which class do you think this division should be, Professor Manzoor Ahmad, Emeritus of BRAC University present at the news briefing and convenor of the committee formed by the government to improve the quality of primary and non-formal education, answered the question of the journalists. According to the new curriculum, the department division was to be done in class 11, he said, “It has suddenly changed.” How it happened, why it happened, just went back to the previous place. That seems to be the main word. It is not right to make a decision rashly. It should be done judiciously.’

Professor Manzoor Ahmad said that a commission should be made for education. It will not be three months commission for other commissions. The kind of thinking that needs to be done is what can be done immediately now and how to move forward with some outlines for reforms for the long term.

Former Caretaker Government Advisor Rasheda K Chowdhury thinks that there is confusion due to some issues including canceling the postponed examination of HSC in the face of the demands of some candidates, suddenly announcing to go back to the 2012 curriculum, setting up a coordination committee for textbook revision and then canceling it. He said, “We are forced to say that education has not been given priority.” Education has gone to the “sidelines”. He said work should be done to eliminate the disparity and confusion in education. They are also trying to take the anti-discrimination dream forward.

As many suggestions as

In the press briefing, the Mass Literacy Campaign said, there is no more opportunity to view primary education in a fragmented and isolated manner. Rather, it is necessary to prepare a holistic and continuous transition competency-based curriculum from pre-primary to higher secondary and take appropriate measures to implement it. Two years of pre-primary education should be recognized and implemented as a distinct framework by making it competency- and skill-based and compulsory. It will not be consistent to introduce examinations like public examinations or scholarship examinations at the initial stage. Teachers need to ensure proper preparation and ancillary institutional arrangements for class-based continuous assessment and school-based annual examinations.

Recommendations also include mainstreaming technical and vocational education to meet the future world’s workplace needs, setting targets for achieving ‘foundational qualifications’ for all students at the secondary level and from pre-primary to higher secondary in line with the Sustainable Development Goals 2030, taking into account global needs. Complete and uninterrupted education must be transformed.

The written proposal states that apart from government-affiliated madrasas, there are various types of religious educational institutions, which are outside the mainstream education program. They also need to be brought under a systematic framework and aligned with the mainstream education program. The colleges affiliated to the National University should provide education according to the quality of education and the demand of the labor market.

Mass Literacy Campaign says that as the primary task of transformation in higher education institutions of the country, it is necessary to change the admission test process. Admission to higher education should be ensured according to student’s interest and ability through aptitude test instead of memorization based written test. The University Grants Commission needs to be overhauled. Apart from this, some other proposals include replacing two ministries of education (currently two ministries namely Primary and Mass Education and Ministry of Education), forming a National Education Transformation Commission and ‘Integrated National Teacher Development Framework’ and protecting the education system from the hands of education traders. The company did. And to ensure and sustain the transformation in education, the Mass Literacy Campaign has recommended an investment of at least 4 percent of GDP in education.

In a written proposal, the Mass Literacy Campaign says that an incredible political change has taken place in Bangladesh last July-August under the leadership of the young generation and their immense sacrifice. An unprecedented opportunity for constitutional reform has been created. This opportunity cannot be missed.