Staff Correspondent
Dhaka University Vice Chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddique on Friday underscored the need for introducing a unified education system in the primary and secondary levels in line with the recommendations of the Kudrat-e-Khoda Commission to generate productive manpower.
As the chief guest at a seminar titled “Quality of Higher Secondary Education & Social Position of the Teachers” at the National Press Club, he said there are more than 11 categories of education systems in the primary levels right now resulting in discrepant and inequitable outputs.
“Various kinds of primary education include non-government, government, NGO run, cadet, kindergarten and madrassa educations. Knowledge obtained from the above institutions is not same and their effects in the society are of various types. Students are not responsible for their various mentalities and exposures as dissimilar studies have been imposed on them,” he added.
As Awami League led government has come to power with commitment of creating a digital Bangladesh by 2021, it will have to give first priority to education sector, he said, adding, “Education is the foundation of the nation. If this foundation is not strengthened, it is not possible for the nation to go ahead. The entire population of the country will have to be transformed into efficient manpower.”
He said service of the teachers has to be upgraded compared to other jobs with a view to attracting meritorious students to teaching but the current position of the teachers is vice versa. He said if a primary teacher’s position is of a third class employee, he is bound to give third class education to the students.
Interpreting expected education system, he said from class one to class eight should be primary level while class nine to class twelve should be secondary level education where there should be a core curriculum including Bengali, English, math, general knowledge and technical knowledge common to all students under general, madrassa and technical educations.
“I have seen our inefficient workers giving heavy physical labours abroad in exchange for meager salary whereas people of neighbouring India are getting three to four times more salary for having technical education,” he opined.
He suggested that there should not be discrimination with regard to public and private primary, secondary, higher secondary and university education. What is material is ensuring quality of education based on technical and uniform education plan. He also urged the government to put an end to discrepancies in the service gradations between teachers and other officials.
Courtesy: thebangladeshtoday.com
