English medium education
Angela MV Robinson (Rev Mrs) Principal of The British School in Dhaka, Lalmatia
I am very pleased that the matter of the regulation of English-medium schools is beginning to be discussed in a truly learned fashion between those who have the interests of true education at heart. We all know that the present situation has elements of both chaos and creativity! It is good to know that at least some involved in the debate want to deal with the worst of the chaos, without destroying the creativity. The tidy-minded in education can be an awful nuisance.As one who has lived through the hurly-burly of the educational scene in the UK over the last 50 years, I must point out that, at one point, there was such a strong move there to close all independent schools, that we had to man the barricades! I was educated privately but taught predominantly in government schools. However, I knew that the best schools in the independent sector were a vital part of the full spectrum of education, not least because they were free to pioneer all sorts of developments that often ended up adopted more widely. They were also homes for some totally unconventional, even _'unqualified' teachers, who were doing a great job. Yes, to allow different sorts of schools to co-exist, despite the grumbles of the tidy-minded, needs a strong social consensus and a government, that demand respect and mutual tolerance. I must also point out, as one who sings your National Anthem daily, at School Assembly, that the accusation that 'English-medium' must necessarily mean being disloyal to Bangladesh is a cheap jibe that should not be given house room.
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