Khairul Islam
Thursday, 29 August 2013 (The Financial Express)
Academics and curriculum specialists have suggested the government to strengthen monitoring over the private academic institutions including English mediums that attracted public concern recently.
They also recommended to formulate a coordinated and balanced course curricula for all private schools including English mediums to ensure the rights of children to quality education.
The English medium schools have come to the spotlight after the sensational murder of a couple by their teenage daughter, an O-level student of English medium school, who allegedly stabbed her parents to death.
"Regrettably, there is no scope for the government to supervise the private educational institutions and their academic course contents that create an academic discrimination among the different mediums of teaching," said Prof Siddiqur Rahman of Dhaka University (DU).
The professor, who worked in the formulation of the national curriculum, said the aims and objectives of education have been asserted in the Education Policy Document (2010) 'to promote the continuity of national history, tradition and culture through an integral process'.
"The authorities should formulate coordinated, balanced and clear guidelines for all medium of academic institutions, at least up to class eight, which is defined as primary education," he added.
According to the new classification, class one to class eight is primary education, nine to twelve secondary and the next level tertiary education.
Prof Rahman, also a member on Education Policy Formulation Committee-2010, said unfortunately, the curriculum followed by English medium schools puts little emphasis on Bangali culture, tradition and moral education, leading to the cultural crisis.
Prof Dr Mahbuba Nasreen, Director, Institute of Disaster Management and Vulnerability Studies of Dhaka University, said the government should increase its monitoring of the private academic institutions.
"There are various types of academic institutions operating in the country and they don't bother about the government approved course contents," she noted.
The professor said all institutions should encompass course containing national identity, cultural heritage and religious and social values to help the student to be a "universally responsible global citizen". "Almost nothing is known about their school course contents," said Dr ASM Amanullah, professor at the Sociology Department of the university.
He urged the concerned ministry to formulate an effective policy and create strong enforcement mechanism to curb the abuses of private schools and ensure the rights of children to quality education.
Prof Amanullah also bitterly criticised the 'run-away commercialisation of English medium schools in the name of providing modern alien education' and mercenary motive of the owners of English medium schools.
These institutions do not have any representations from the guardians in school management. "They never hear the what guardians have to say on any issue," he added.