Education at a standstill, struggle to meet demands

Students took to the streets in support of the movement for quota reforms, and a segment of teachers also joined the cause. At one point, the Awami League government fell due to the mass uprising.

This created a significant challenge for the interim government, which took over on 8 August, as it sought to resume educational activities that had been halted for around three months before and after the uprising.

Education experts say that the expectations generated by the uprising have yet to materialise in the education sector. In reality, the only routine work is currently taking place in educational institutions.

Many have criticised certain immediate decisions, such as the cancellation of the HSC exams in response to demands. While a reform commission has been formed for various sectors, there has been no commission specifically addressing critical issues in education.

According to people involved in education, the current government has acknowledged the overall problems in the education sector, but no significant steps have been taken to address them.

They believe that education still does not appear to be a priority for the government, despite the urgency of the situation. Much more attention should have been given to this issue.

After the fall of the Awami League government on 5 August, following the student uprising, an interim government was formed on 8 August.

On 17 August, Wahiduddin Mahmud, a retired professor from the Department of Economics at Dhaka University, took oath as an adviser. He was appointed to advise both the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Planning.

Mahmud had previously served as the Finance and Planning Adviser to the caretaker government in 1996. On 10 November, the government appointed Professor M Aminul Islam as a special assistant with the rank of State Minister in the Ministry of Education. His role is to assist the Education Adviser.

Currently, there are 55 autonomous and government universities in the country. Of these, four are autonomous, while the remaining 51 are government-run.

The deadlock in educational institutions has begun to ease. In response to student demands, positive changes have been made in the allocation of seats in residential halls, with universities now allocating seats based on qualifications and merit.

The government has appointed vice-chancellors in the government universities. However, it has continued the previous practice for appointing vice-chancellors at autonomous universities, such as Dhaka University, Rajshahi University, Chittagong University, and Jahangirnagar University.

The rule for these appointments is that a panel of three candidates is selected through a vote in the Senate, and the President appoints one of them as vice-chancellor.

Despite the political changes, this process has not been altered. Ministry of Education officials explained that this was not feasible due to special circumstances and time constraints.

In addition to the universities, changes have been made in the top positions of the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB). More than 900 officers from the BCS education cadre have been promoted to professors.

On 18 August, the Education Adviser, who had recently taken charge, indicated that the controversial new curriculum, which had been the subject of much discussion and criticism, would be scrapped. He told reporters that the new curriculum appeared to be unimplementable.

Therefore, as far as possible, the government would revert to the previous curriculum. Following this, the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) effectively abandoned the new curriculum introduced by the ousted Awami League government and began distributing textbooks based on the old curriculum, which was largely focused on exams.

After a coordination committee was formed to oversee the revision of free textbooks in line with the old curriculum, this decision once again sparked controversy and criticism. Many viewed it as a sign of the government’s weakness.

In this context, students are expected to receive textbooks according to the new curriculum starting in January. However, there are concerns about whether all students will receive their books on time, as the pace of work remains slow.

Amid ongoing debates over the curriculum, a large group of students protested inside the secretariat on 20 August.

That day, the government cancelled the postponed HSC and equivalent exams in response to the student protests. On 15 October, the results were announced using an alternative method, but this again prompted a fresh wave of protests. Students organized protests and sit-ins in front of various education boards.

On 23 October, many students entered the Secretariat and continued their protests, demanding "non-discriminatory" results. However, their demands were not met.

In the meantime, the Ministry of Education is facing a new crisis involving seven government colleges in Dhaka. Students are protesting for these colleges to be converted into separate universities.

Additionally, students from Titumir Government College are demanding that their college be made a university. In response, the Ministry of Education has formed a committee to address the issues surrounding these seven colleges.

Regarding the demand from Titumir Government College, the Ministry has announced that another committee will be established to explore the possibility of converting it into a university.

These actions are a response to the ongoing movement, but overall, there is an expectation that a well-thought-out decision will be made after consulting with all parties involved.

Among the work reports prepared by the Ministry of Education over the last three months, the appointment of new vice-chancellors at universities has been highlighted.

In the college division, the report mentions that 74 officers from the 28th to 42nd BCS (General Education) cadre were posted to various government colleges on 24 August.

Additionally, the appointment of the chairman of the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB), the director of the Inspection and Audit Department, and the promotion of 927 individuals to the post of professor on 23 August were noted. The approval of educational leave for many staff members was also mentioned.

However, the regular appointment of a director-general for the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education, the most important organisation within the Ministry of Education, has not yet been made. Currently, the director of the College and Administration Department is serving as the acting director-general in addition to their regular duties.

Due to the ongoing financial crisis, teachers and employees of private MPOs are already facing long delays in receiving their retirement and welfare benefits.

This issue has become more apparent because the retirement benefits board has not been restructured following the change in government. As time passes, the hardship and suffering of teachers and employees continue to grow as they wait to receive their retirement benefits.

The Ministry of Primary and Mass Education has taken some initiatives beyond routine work. This ministry is headed by Bidhan Ranjan Roy Poddar.

The Ministry has formed a 9-member advisory committee, consisting of educationists, experts, and individuals involved in primary education, under the leadership of Emeritus Professor Manzoor Ahmed from BRAC University.

The committee’s purpose is to improve the quality of primary and non-formal education. Those involved are hopeful that if the recommendations of this committee are properly accepted and implemented, it will help improve the quality of primary education.

Many experts argue that a reform commission is essential for the overall development of education. While 11 reform commissions have been established for other sectors, many in the education field are disappointed that no such commission has been created for education.

Rasheda K Chowdhury, an adviser to the former caretaker government, told Prothom Alo that the new government started its tenure with many expectations and hopes, which were welcomed by the public. While there is no shortage of goodwill toward the government, and reforms are being planned in various sectors, it seems that education is not receiving priority. Education is a vital tool for building human capacity, she said. Regardless of how many reforms are implemented, they will not be effective without skilled human resources. Therefore, education must remain a top priority for the government, with action plans developed to reflect this.