Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in Bangladesh, the country’s education sector has faced numerous challenges, with no significant initiatives taken to address the losses incurred.
Following the students' revolt, which began with the quota reform movement and later evolved into a massive uprising against the Sheikh Hasina regime, the education sector fell into a state of disrepair.
Challenges for the interim government include 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.
Education experts warn that the sector is now in an unprecedentedly problematic situation, as the former education minister has fled, and the vice-chancellors (VCs) of nearly all public universities, including Dhaka University, as well as the principals of prominent colleges, have resigned.
Even the chairman of the University Grants Commission of Bangladesh resigned from his post on Sunday. Schools have still not fully reopened.
Managing residential halls poses another challenge for the interim government, as the halls of public universities and prominent colleges were under the control of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student wing of the Awami League, where BCL members established a reign of terror.
It remains uncertain what will become of the new curriculum introduced by the ousted government.
Education experts have noted that the education ministry began implementing the new curriculum without adequately preparing teachers, despite consistently urging the fallen Awami League government throughout the year to equip teachers for the new system.
They cited the near failure of the previous creative system, attributing it to the ministry's introduction of the curriculum without taking proper steps to ensure teachers were sufficiently skilled.
As a result, 46 per cent of teachers are still unable to prepare question papers for quarterly and annual examinations. It took 11 years for 56 per cent of teachers to adapt to the previous creative system.
In this context, education experts suggest that the interim government should take immediate action to address the educational setbacks and develop a more effective curriculum.
Professor Dr Mohammad Ali Zinnah of the Institute of Education and Research at Dhaka University told The Business Post that the ousted government created a crisis by introducing a new curriculum that is not realistic.
“The new curriculum was developed without considering the country’s financial situation, management capabilities, and in a completely arbitrary manner. It was overly ambitious and unrealistic, making it unfit for implementation in Bangladesh,” he said.
“I hope the new administration will revise the curriculum, or if possible, cancel it altogether. Teachers, guardians, and many others were opposed to the introduction of the new curriculum, which was implemented without proper teacher training,” he added.
Prof 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. Now, the new one will face similar challenges because of the teachers’ inadequacies. Additionally, only students from well-off families will be able to afford the new curriculum.”
Protests against the new curriculum
The Ministry of Education has been working since 2017 to introduce an outcome-based curriculum modelled after the education systems of developed countries. This new curriculum was partially introduced for primary and secondary level students at the beginning of this year.
However, following its implementation for Classes 1, VI, and VII, the curriculum has faced widespread criticism from various sectors, with many demanding its cancellation. An unspecified number of guardians and university teachers, including those from Dhaka University, have taken to the streets in protest against the new curriculum.
On Sunday, Socheton Ovibhabok Somaj formed a human chain in front of the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB), calling for the curriculum's cancellation. They described the ongoing curriculum as disastrous for education, merit, and morality.
A group of guardians under the banner of "Sammilito Shikkha Andolan" has also been protesting the curriculum. They have held press conferences and seminars demanding its cancellation since last year.
Rakhal Raha, convener of the organisation, stated that they have been protesting because their children are not acquiring adequate knowledge in their subjects under the new curriculum.
Raha also called for the punishment of those responsible for what he described as endangering children's futures under the guise of introducing a world-standard curriculum.
The University Teachers' Network held a rally on the Dhaka University campus on December 13 last year, protesting the new curriculum.
Teacher training progress
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.
In the previous curriculum, although most teachers received training, only a few were able to effectively apply what they had learned. This is evident from the fact that 46 per cent of teachers are still unable to prepare question papers, according to documents from the Directorate of Secondary & Higher Education (DSHE).
The teacher-student ratio currently stands at 1:37 at the primary level and 1:45 at the secondary level. This is significantly higher than the international standard ratio of 1:20. In most middle-income nations, the ratio is 1:24 in primary education and 1:18 in secondary education.
Professor Emeritus Dr Manzoor Ahmed of BRAC University stated that it is possible to implement the new curriculum if efforts are made to prepare teachers, devise a robust recovery plan for school education, and implement it to achieve the objectives of the new curriculum.
“Otherwise, teachers and students will be forced to rely on traditional notes and guides, and the implementation of the new curriculum will become a wasted effort,” he warned.
Private universities in troubled waters
Since the establishment of North South University (NSU) as the first self-financed institution 32 years ago, private universities have proliferated across the country. However, most of these institutions continue to operate in violation of regulations, largely due to a lack of effective punitive action by the Ministry of Education.
According to the Private University Act, 2010, academic and administrative activities must be conducted on a permanent campus within seven years of a university's establishment. Yet, only 37 universities are currently operating their academic activities on their permanent campuses.
The University Grants Commission's (UGC) 49th annual report reveals that out of 110 private universities in the country, 91 have been in existence for over 12 years. This indicates that 54 private universities are operating in violation of the law.
A university is required to obtain a permanent certificate from the government within 12 years of its establishment, but only eight universities have received this certification. According to the law, the remaining universities should cease operations.
Moreover, many private universities are reluctant to submit their annual audit reports to the relevant authorities.
Of the 110 private universities currently operating in the country, only 13 have all the required top officials, such as a vice-chancellor, pro-vice-chancellor, and treasurer. The UGC’s 49th annual report notes that 68 universities have vice-chancellors, 29 have pro-vice-chancellors, and 64 have treasurers.
Science, tech neglected at universities
According to the University Grants Commission Bangladesh (UGC) Annual Report 2022, only 13 per cent of students are enrolled in science, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, biology, engineering, and technology disciplines.
In contrast, a staggering 87 per cent of students are enrolled in arts, social sciences, business studies, and other disciplines.
The trend of low enrolment in science, technology, and technical subjects among undergraduate students has persisted for years, with figures standing at 11 per cent in 2019, 2020, and 2021, 12 per cent in 2016 and 2017, and 11 per cent in 2015.
Poor research at universities
Research and innovation in higher education are essential for a country's intellectual and economic growth, yet most universities in Bangladesh are neglecting this crucial area by allocating minimal funds for research.
As a result, Bangladesh performed poorly in the Global Knowledge Index 2022, with universities spending only a small fraction of their annual budgets on research. Public universities allocated just 2 per cent of their annual expenditure to research, while private universities spent 7.8 per cent.
The Global Knowledge Index 2023 also paints a bleak picture for Bangladesh, particularly in the research, development, and innovation sector.
The report indicates that Bangladesh is a weak performer in terms of its knowledge infrastructure, ranking 112th out of 133 countries and 21st out of 25 countries with medium human development.
Widespread irregularities
Many vice-chancellors of public universities have been implicated in various irregularities, including accepting bribes for job placements or appointing their relatives to positions. Additionally, several are involved in financial corruption related to development projects.
The UGC uncovered numerous irregularities involving dozens of vice-chancellors and submitted reports to the Ministry of Education. However, there is no record of any punitive action being taken against the implicated individuals.
