National education policy
IT is good news that the nation is going to have a new education policy aiming to educate all, irrespective of their religion, gender, socio-economic condition and geographical location. On September 2, the National Education Policy Formulation Committee submitted to the government the eighth such report since the independence of the country.
The government constituted a 16-member committee headed by Prof. Kabir Chowdhury on April 8 to formulate a modern national education policy in line with the 1974 Qudrat-e-Khuda Education Commission. The committee has suggested extension of primary education up to class VIII and secondary education up to class XII.
The salient features of the recommendations of the committee are the suggestion to make primary education free, universal and compulsory, and the mandatory inclusion of six compulsory subjects under all streams of education. Besides, all students must study their own religions and receive education that develops moral values and patriotism.
The new education policy has suggested that the secondary level of education should be from class IX to XII, and that uniform curriculum and syllabus in several subjects should be followed in all mediums including madrasa. Madrasa education should be modernised, including science and information technology in the curriculum that should focus on developing the skill and capacity to respond to the need in the employment market.
It also recommended formation of a permanent education commission to implement the education policy, and decentralisation of the National University by setting up centres in all divisions. All such recommendations are to be welcomed, but the harsh reality is that we have so far failed in implementing such recommendations.
The education minister said that the draft education policy would be finalised soon, and its full-fledged implementation would start from January next year. Any change to the education policy needs close scrutiny, as it will influence the entire education system for a long time. Therefore, the new education policy deserves more serious consideration by all stakeholders.
The policy aims to improve the present state of education at all levels. But what remains a major cause of concern is that the government is not institutionally prepared enough for implementation of such a vital policy.
The integration of the existing level of primary education with the next three classes of the old secondary level and severe dearth of competent teachers for operation of new education policy in the rural areas and madrasas pose the greatest challenge towards its implementation. Printing of books according to the new syllabi is impossible within such a short period.
The new education policy envisages basic changes to set the country's outmoded education system in the tune with the fast moving world. But it will not be possible to translate the goals and objectives into reality if politicisation of the education sector is not stopped. It is imperative to have a guideline in the policy as to how to rid the educational institutions from dirty politics.
Under the new policy, MPs can be chairmen of the governing bodies of four educational institutions in their constituencies, and the remaining ones will need the MP's recommendation for selection of the governing body chairman and members. One really fails to understand why the involvement of MPs in the affairs of educational institutions is so essential, while they have a party affiliation.
It cannot altogether be denied that the chaos in the governing bodies of educational institutions also contributes to the declining standard of education. As the government seeks to reorganise and reshape the country's education system to turn Bangladesh into a prosperous country, it is expected that it will also take steps to keep the educational institutions free from the machinations of the politicians.
The National Education Policy-2009 is expected to fulfill national aspirations as it has some very essential and beneficial provisions. But it will be like putting the cart before the horse if the government moves to implement the policy without strengthening its efforts in the area of capacity building and recruiting an adequate number of competent teachers.
Many countries in Asia, including India and China, have made remarkable progress in all fields after changing their education system and taking it as the main facilitator of economic growth. But Bangladesh is lagging far behind because of the lack of political vision.
The government formed as many as eight education commissions and committees since independence but not a single recommendation by them has been implemented, which has left education in a mess.
Let us hope that this new policy will not collect dust in some closet like the previous ones, and will be implemented in full to make our education capable of coping with the changing times and the development in the field of science and technology.
A.N.M. Nurul Haque is a columnist of The Daily Star.
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