Government forms two committees to improve school textbooks amid criticism

The government has constituted two committees for improving school textbooks based on recommendations made by experts.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 8 Jan 2017, 01:28 PM
Updated : 8 Jan 2017, 03:24 PM

One committee has been mandated to suggest changes to make textbooks more readable after reviewing the 2012 curriculum.

The other panel will work to improve the quality of textbooks for grades 9 and 10.

Educationists made 15 recommendations that included the unburdening of the curriculum by dropping certain subjects, using identical question papers and creating a question bank.

The order issued by the education ministry to form the committees says the work to improve textbooks and the curriculum should follow the suggestions made by the experts.

The task to renew the curriculum in 2012 was taken after more than a decade. Books based on the new curriculum were handed to students in 2013.

The new committee to suggest changes after reviewing the 2012 curriculum include Bishwo Shahitto Kendro (World Literature Center) founder Abdullah Abu Sayeed, Dhaka University Professor Syed Manzoorul Islam and BRAC University teacher Manzoor Ahmed.

The others on the committee are former treasurer of Dhaka University Faruq Ahmed, former headmaster of Motijheel Government Girls' High School, Dhaka University Institute of Education and Research Professor Husne Ara Begum, Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Dhaka Chairman Mahbubur Rahman, and National Curriculum and Textbook Board Chairman Narayan Chandra Saha.

NCTB Member (Syllabus) Md Moshiuzzaman has been made the member secretary of the committee while Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) Additional Secretary Chowdhury Mufad Ahmed will be the coordinator.

The committee has been given 60 working days to make the recommendations to revise the textbooks.

The other committee to recommend revisions of the textbooks for grades 9 and 10 include Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) Professor Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, Dhaka University professors Md Akhtaruzzaman and MM Akash, and Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology Professor Mohammad Kaykobad.

Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Dhaka's former chairman Taslima Begum, Uddipan School Headmistress Shyamoli Nasrin Chowdhury, and DSHE Director General SM Wahiduzzaman are also on the committee.

NCTB Member (Textbook) Enamul Haque Siddiqui and DSHE Additional Secretary Mufad will be the member secretary and coordinator of the committee, respectively.

The committee has been asked to select some textbooks of grades 9 and 10 and make a 'time-bound action plan' to revise the books so that the students get those revised books on Jan 1 next year.

The recommendations made by the committee will be sent to the National Curriculum Coordinator Committee (NCCC) for clearance.

The education ministry order said both the committees can include more members if necessary and experts can be called to meetings.

An official of the ministry said four science textbooks for grades 9 and 10 will be made more readable and easy initially.

The books will also be given colours if necessary.