The ATN Bangla in a news bulletin last night quoted the minister as saying, “We got our education under a unified education system before 1962. By introducing the system again, we are trying to remove the qualitative differences between madrasa education and general education."

Earlier, at a discussion programme in the capital on October 17, leading educationists and members of the teaching community vowed to resist the government move through a mass movement like the education movement in the 1960s. The new system would destroy education in the country because it ignores two vital areas for modern education -- science and mathematics-- they stressed.

The Daily Star could not reach the education minister last night as he was outside Dhaka.

Under the proposed education system, students of class nine will no longer have to choose from three options -- science, arts and commerce -- for their studies. The will have to study 18 subjects instead of 10 now.

Moreover, it will also be mandatory for Muslim students to study Arabic, Hindu students to study Sanskrit and Buddhists to study Pali.

The discussants at the October 17 programme said the move is part of a plan to turn the country into a religion-based communal one. Under the proposed system, religion is a compulsory subject while science and mathematics are optional ones, carrying less marks.

Presenting a keynote paper at the discussion, leading academic and writer

Dr Muhammad Zafar Iqbal of Shahjalal Science and Technology University, Sylhet, pointed out that science education would be the worst hit if the proposed unified education system is introduced.

Explaining the new system, he claimed it is not a unified system at all because it does not incorporate general education and madrasa education. Changes were brought only in the syllabus of secondary education, he said.

Zafar mentioned that there was no demand for these changes anywhere in the country. Introduction of such a system would be a major betrayal to the nation, he said.