Educational institutions across Bangladesh, from pre-primary to higher education levels, will reopen on Sunday (August 18) after being closed for over a month.
Interim government Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus issued instructions on Thursday for the resumption of academic and administrative activities from Sunday.
The University Grants Commission of Bangladesh (UGC), vice-chancellors of public and private universities, the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE), the Directorate of Madrasa Education (DME), and the Directorate of Technical Education have been directed to take necessary measures to ensure a smooth reopening.
Earlier, on Tuesday, the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education instructed primary schools to fully resume classes starting Wednesday.
The government initially closed the institutions in response to a mass student movement demanding reforms to the quota system in government jobs. Public universities suspended classes and examinations from July 1 due to a teachers’ strike against the universal pension scheme.
More than 700 people died between July 16 and August 6, with media reports and other sources indicating that nearly half of the deceased were students. Over 30,000 students were injured, with many in critical condition.
Meanwhile, following a student-led revolution against Sheikh Hasina's regime, the former prime minister resigned and fled the country.
Following her exit, numerous vice-chancellors of public universities, including Dhaka University, along with principals of several colleges, also stepped down from their posts.
The administration of the education sector has since been disrupted, with many officials failing to report to work and others performing their duties irregularly following the August 5 revolution. A significant number of head teachers from high schools and managing committee members have gone into hiding due to allegations of malpractice during the past 15 years.
Interim govt to face uphill task
In this context, the interim government may face immediate challenges, such as getting students back to classes, restoring order in university halls and on campuses, and meeting students' demands, including a ban on student politics and implementing other necessary reforms.
Additionally, addressing the educational setbacks, particularly among school students, will be a significant challenge for the transitional government.
The new administration may face further challenges in protecting students affiliated with the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), who were involved in acts of torture in university halls, during the quota reform movement and the mass uprising against the Sheikh Hasina regime.
The Yunus-led interim government is also likely to encounter other issues, including a flawed curriculum, untrained teachers, irregularities in both public and private universities, inadequate research, the neglect of science and technology in higher education, and protests from guardians, teachers, and students against the new curriculum.
According to sources within the Ministry of Education, the government has yet to develop a plan to address these potential challenges following the reopening of educational institutions.
Education experts said that the government should appoint vice-chancellors at public universities before reopening them, warning that failure to do so could result in chaos at any time.
Professor Dr Mohammad Ali Zinnah of the Institute of Education and Research at Dhaka University told The Business Post that the ousted government left the education sector in disarray, creating a crisis that will take considerable time to recover.
"Ensuring student attendance at educational institutions must be the first priority. The authorities should take initiatives to create a conducive academic environment based on students' recommendations. In fact, the relevant authorities of each educational institution need to implement effective initiatives to make academic activities functional," he said.
New dates for HSC exams
The Inter-Education Board Coordinating Committee has announced new dates for the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations, which were postponed due to the student movement. The exams will begin on September 11.
Professor Tapan Kumar Sarkar, head of the coordinating committee, told The Business Post that a proposal to start the postponed exams on September 11 was sent to the chief adviser overseeing the Ministry of Education. “We announced the date after receiving confirmation from the chief adviser,” he said.
School students face learning setbacks
The recent closure of educational institutions, along with the suspension of classes and exams, has dealt another blow to students' learning, following the disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The Ministry of Education had prepared a routine based on the new curriculum, requiring daily attendance, but the prolonged closures due to student movements and mass uprisings have led to further setbacks.
The education ministry previously failed to address the learning gaps caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and introduced a new curriculum without adequate preparation.
As students return to school with these setbacks, there are no clear directives from the ministry on how to address the gaps.
Education experts warn that school students may struggle under the new curriculum, which many believe is unsuitable, especially given that most teachers lack adequate knowledge of its content.
Professor Emeritus Dr Manzoor Ahmed of BRAC University said it is possible to successfully implement the new curriculum if efforts are made to properly train teachers, devise a comprehensive recovery plan for school education, and execute it effectively to meet the curriculum's objectives.
"Otherwise, teachers and students will be forced to rely on traditional notes and guides, rendering the implementation of the new curriculum a wasted effort," he warned.
Professor Dr Mohammad Siddiqur Rahman Khan, former director of the Institute of Education and Research at the University of Dhaka, said, "This is an ambitious curriculum that was prepared without considering the socio-economic conditions of Bangladesh. It will be very difficult to implement, as teachers are not adequately prepared to properly execute the new system."
Prof Siddiqur Rahman, who led the introduction of the creative curriculum in 2012, added, "The previous creative curriculum could not be implemented effectively due to a lack of quality teachers. The new one will face similar challenges because of the inadequacies of the teachers. Additionally, only students from well-off families will be able to afford the new curriculum."
Sources within the education ministry said that there are approximately 1.2 million teachers at the primary and secondary levels across the country. By December 14, only 3,00,000 of these teachers had received training. The government is currently training an additional 5,00,000 teachers between December 17 and December 30 through an online platform.
The teacher-student ratio currently stands at 1:37 at the primary level and 1:45 at the secondary level—significantly higher than the international standard of 1:20. In most middle-income nations, the ratio is 1:24 in primary education and 1:18 in secondary education.
