The National Education Policy Formulation Committee will submit the much-awaited National Education Policy to the government on September 2 with the recommendations of extending the primary education level up to class VIII and secondary level up to class XII.
The committee has already consulted with over 50 organisations, institutions and stakeholders concerned and now it is finalising the policy, said Dr Quazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, co-chair of the committee.
"The policy is now at the final stage and we will submit it to the education minister on September 2," he told The Daily Star yesterday.
He said the ministry is likely to inform the media about the policy on September 2. "We have discussed different aspects of the policy," he said, adding that necessary corrections on the policy are going on.
Dr Ahmad said the policy suggests primary level to be extended up to class VIII from current class V with holding a public examination at its end and secondary level up to class XII from current class X.
According to the sources, the students of all mediums--general, madrasa and English regardless of types of education system and education institutes--will have to study several subjects in the primary level to have better understanding about certain things of the country.
They also said the students of all mediums in secondary level will also have to study three subjects.
Basic ICT and pre-vocational training will be introduced in class VI, they added.
They also said they want to formulate a pragmatic policy aiming at ensuring national consensus, social and moral values and the spirit of the liberation war.
The government formed a 16-member committee on April 8 to review the report of Shamsul Haque Education Committee 1997 in order to formulate a modern national education policy in line with the report of Qudrat-e-Khuda Education Commission 1974.
Headed by National Professor Kabir Chowdhury, the committee held its first meeting on May 3 and co-opted two more members into the committee. They are Bangladesh Open University (BOU) Vice-Chancellor (VC) Dr RIM Aminur Rashid and Jahangirnagar University English Professor Dr Shaheen Kabir.
The committee was supposed to submit its final report by 90 days of its first meeting and according to that the deadline of submission was August 3.
But the committee sought a month more for submitting the report as the committee needed to hold discussions on the draft policy.
National Academy for Educational Management Director Sheikh Ekramul Kabir has been made the member secretary of the committee.
The other members of the committee are National University VC Prof Kazi Shahidullah, noted educationist Prof Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, Dhaka University (DU) Sociology Department Professor Dr Sadika Halim, English Department Professor Fakhrul Alam, Education Research Institute Prof Siddiqur Rahman and Public Administration Prof Jarina Rahman Khan, newly appointed treasurer of National University Principal Kazi Farruque Ahmed, Director General of the Directorate of Technical Education Prof Nitai Chandra Sutradhar, former additional secretary Siraj Uddin Ahmed, Bangladesh Teachers' Association President Principal MA Awal Siddiqui, Moulana Prof ABM Siddikur Rahman, Barrister Nihad Kabir and Mohammad Abu Hafiz.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009 02:51 AM GMT+06:00 (217 weeks ago)
This is indeed a good idea to extend secondary classes to 12 th year. This will bring our system to the same level with the education systems in the West, especially in the US. Students can go to College/University for Bachelor degree straight after successful completion of High School.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009 09:19 AM GMT+06:00 (217 weeks ago)
We need to have a very concrete Education policy at primary and secondary level and what about higher secondary?
It is good to have primary level upto class V111, where all basis /elementary education to be given, agriculture, social, simple mathematics, language, simple accounting, basic health education and religious and fundamental application in social life.
Secondary education ; to be more emphasis on subject oriented , economics, English, higher math, and technical education to move on further on subject based education, medical, engineering, technical and other apart from general education ensuring quality education rather to increasing numbers.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009 09:22 AM GMT+06:00 (217 weeks ago)
ADB bank study for the SEP-TQI which is scheduled to end next year had revealed that our secondary school systems suffer from structural problems that are exercerbated by lack of training, weak organizational framework, centralization, policy shifts, stakeholder participation which would not go away by introducing a course here and another year there. spirit of liberation war and digital bangladesh may have served the electioneering, but when it comes to educational reforms we need to drop the band-aid approach.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009 10:49 AM GMT+06:00 (217 weeks ago)
1. It's a good move to extend secondary level up to class XII. However, primary education may still be divided into two part - Elementary and Junior High.
2. A Literacy Test may be conducted at the end of class V. The purpose of this test will be to determine whether schools around the country maintain a minimum standard of teaching. There will be no grading; students will have to pass the exam. They will get 3 chances in second half of class V. This exam will also determine the number of literate person in the country.
3. Choice of optional subjects at secondary level should be widen as much as possible.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009 10:24 AM GMT+06:00 (217 weeks ago)
The initiative is good, but the education ministry should ensure transparency in appointing qualified teachers to ensure quality education. Also the drop out should be stopped taking necesary steps. In addition, the ministry ought to work in increasing girl children's enrolment and to prevent child labour. Schools need to set up/ build where there is no school.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009 12:19 PM GMT+06:00 (217 weeks ago)
A good step towards spreading education
Wednesday, August 26, 2009 02:10 PM GMT+06:00 (217 weeks ago)
Proper assessment is required first of all to implement such a change in the system. The complexity concerning the first two SSC batches in the Grading system regime (in getting admission for higher studies) should be accounted with special care so that these sort of situations do not revive.
I am surprised to see no representative from BUET and the Medical Colleges in the committee.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009 01:04 PM GMT+06:00 (217 weeks ago)
It would be really unthinkably great if the plan is implemented. As for searching job minimum educational qualification is required class Vii, the system will be extraordinarily helpful for the people who are forced to drop out after primary education due to financial or other causes.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009 01:33 PM GMT+06:00 (217 weeks ago)
Change is good.....