The number of students studying science is decreasing so alarmingly that Bangladesh is likely to face a huge shortfall in human resources adept in science and technology in near future, reveals a research paper.
The decreasing rate of science students is 31.33 percent in the last eight years, says the study titled "Science education in secondary level in Bangladesh" citing statistics of the education ministry.
In the secondary level in 1988, around 41.35 percent students studied science. According to the research, the rate came down to 25.4 percent in 1995 and 23.76 percent in 2008.
The research paper prepared by Bangladesh Freedom Foundation (BFF) identified several reasons behind such fall. Crisis of trained and competent science teachers has prompted students to take private tuition, pushing up their educational expenses. Besides, irregular practical classes, hard curriculum and students' tendency to take subjects easy to pass, among others, also played a considerable role.
The findings of the research were revealed at a seminar yesterday at Jatiya Press Club where the cover of the paper was also unveiled. The BFF organised the programme co-organised by Media Forum for Human Rights and Environmental Development.
The research was conducted on students and their parents, and teachers of 140 high schools at 11 upazilas in seven districts.
According to the paper, around 70 percent of the students interviewed said private tuition is essential, while 65 percent said lack of separate laboratory in their schools is one of the significant reasons.
Of the interviewed teachers, 57 percent pointed at high expenses behind the fall of students studying science. As many as 39 percent teachers blamed it on harder curriculum, around 60 percent on lack of competent teachers and 45 percent on the students, who cannot "understand" the curriculum.
"Such a decreasing rate of science students is regrettable," said Prof Dr M Mahbub-ul Islam of St Francis University, USA.
University Grants Commission Chairman Prof Dr AK Azad Chowdhury said, "We should not focus on those subjects, which have no practical usage or base.
"We must study arts and business studies. But if we don't study science and technology in this globalised village, we cannot move forward," he said. The country has a huge population and to turn the population into efficient human resources, knowledge of science and math is a must, he added.
Dr Sarwar Alam, president of Bangladesh Institute of Planners, said, "To make a digital Bangladesh, we must give utmost importance on science and technology."
Former adviser to a caretaker government and president of BFF Syed Manzur Elahi said there is no alternative to science and technology for the country to survive in a challenging world.
Munir Hasan, general secretary of Bangladesh Maths Olympiad Committee, presented the findings of the research and suggested introduction of proper training of the teachers, modernising science curriculum, setting up of laboratories, creating enthusiasm about science education and allocation of more money.
