Dhaka, Dec 30 (bdnews24.com) – The Awami League–led government has at hand a fresh education policy superseding nine previous ones formulated by as many governments, which have never seen full implementation.
The new policy being framed aims to bring a qualitative change, but education plans invariably get a new look with change of government, draw criticism from the opposition and have so far failed to see the light of day.
However, officials say they are hopeful about the new draft policy crafted under the incumbent government, even though its passage and implementation has been pushed into the new year.
The draft policy recommends setting up of a permanent national education commission that will work as a counseling body of the education ministry and University Grants Commission in the implementation of the education policy.
The commission will monitor whether the education policy is implemented properly, submit an annual report on it to the government and parliament with recommendations.
The past BNP-led alliance government also recommended a permanent commission in a report framed by the Prof Moniruzzaman Miah Education Commission in 2003. But BNP, now in opposition, is critical of the Awami-League's new plans.
The religion based parties and organisations are also strongly opposing the policy fearing drastic changes in madrasa education.
Former caretaker government adviser Akbar Ali Khan told bdnews24.com as the year ends that this education policy has many good recommendations but the government should also consider the resources it will require for implementation.
"The government has already committed large funds for different sectors. So there is doubt whether it will be able to allocate a big amount of money for the materialisation of the education policy," he said.
He also stressed the necessity of decentralisation of the education system saying: "It is not possible for the central government to run primary schools of rural areas.
"The local administration should be assigned to monitor them that will also help sustain standard of education."
Dr Kholiquzzaman, co-chairman of the National Education Policy Committee, said he is hopeful about some aspects of the policy, but there are challenges.
Once the policy is approved the first step of implementation of the policy is meant to start through the printing of new text books. However, textbooks for 2010 have already been distributed from Dec 30.
New laws will also be required to implement some of the clauses of the policy. It will take four years to implement the extension of primary education until class VIII, he said.
Education minister Nurul Islam Nahid on April 8 formed the 16-member committee headed by national professor Kabir Chowdhury to formulate a comprehensive new education policy.
The committee prepared its draft considering all previous policies including the Education Policy 2000 and Kudrat-e-Khuda Commission.
The draft was supposed to go to the cabinet in December, but it will now take until January, says the government, as opinions have been sought from the ministries on it.
HIGHLIGHTS
The major educational change proposed would be extending compulsory primary education up to eight years from the current five and introducing a uniform curriculum across the board.
The draft policy also suggests that students' secondary level studies should extend over four academic years, nine to twelve, and the government scholarship exams will be taken at the end of class X in lieu of the SSC exams. Final secondary level exams will be held at the end of the class XII.
Bangla will be the medium of instruction. For foreigners, English medium education will be subject to approval, in which case a system of teaching Easy Bengali should be incorporated.
Higher mathematics will be made compulsory for all science students through the secondary level.
The madrasa education regime will also focus on compulsory information technology, vocations and ethics alongside religious studies aiming to make the traditional madrasa education system more open to contemporary learning without compromising its religious biases.
It also envisages uniform curricula for public and private universities, sliding fees according to students' financial status and decentralisation of the National University.
The draft policy suggests more emphasis on science, medicine and engineering in the country's higher education institutions.
It also says education policy cannot be made permanent. The process of change will continue befitting to local and global changes.
It therefore proposes a permanent commission, with a separate secretariat and funding, that will bring timely modification and change to the education policy as needed.
The commission members will be qualified professionals such as teachers, academic administrators and public representatives. They will be either full time or part time members.
The education ministry in an inter-ministerial meeting on Dec 22 decided to send the draft policy to ministries for their opinions.
It will be later sent to the cabinet meeting for approval. Education minister Nurul Islam Nahid hoped that the policy will be sent to the cabinet meeting in mid-January.
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