The education ministry has finalised the Education Act draft, banning private tuition, coaching, and all kinds of note-guides, practice and supportive books.
Anyone providing private tuition or coaching, or being involved in these activities will face punishment, said top officials of the ministry.
Secondary and intermediate education secretary Md Sohrab Hossain told Prothom Alo that the draft has been finalised after consulting with the primary and mass education ministry and madrasa education board.
The draft act will be sent for cabinet approval soon, he added.
The secretary said the education ministry supports banning private tuition, coaching, note-guides, practice or supportive books.
According to the education ministry, a committee was formed back in January, 2011 to finalise the draft of the Education Act after the education policy was announced in 2010.
According to the finalised draft, all kinds of coaching centres will be banned after the act is passed. Running any kind of coaching centre or tuition will be punishable offence. If anyone commits this crime, he/she will have to face a fine of up to Tk 200,000 and jail term for six months or both.
No teacher can offer private tuition to students. If the teacher belongs to a government institution, he/she will have to face disciplinary action. If the teacher is of a private institution, he/she will be terminated, says the draft act.
Teachers, however, can provide tuition or take additional classes per day upon receiving prior permission from their respective heads of the institutions.
As per the draft, ‘private tuition’ means teaching outside of one’s own institution in exchange of money.
The draft act slaps a ban on printing, publishing, packaging, and marketing note-guide books. Publishing these books will be regarded as a punishable crime and the violators will face a fine of Tk 500,000 or a one year jail or both.
The draft also says the students will not be subjected to any form of mental and physical punishment at the educational institutions.
Every institution should preserve its detailed description and publish it on its website.
Contacted, additional secretary of the education ministry Chowdhury Mufad Ahmed said the draft act is brief. Details will be in its rules.
*The article originally published in Prothom Alo print edition has been rewritten in English by Imam Hossain.