The evolution of English-medium education in Bangladesh
“Bishwa Jora Pathshala Mor, Shobar Ami Chhatro” roughly translated as “The whole world is my school, I am a student of all”- this famous line by Sunirmal Basu reflects the spirit of globalisation that began to take shape more than a century ago. In this subcontinent, modern English-medium education also began to expand alongside education in regional languages. Since independence, it has taken on a new dimension in Bangladesh.
In the past, the purpose of education was mainly to obtain a degree, but today the British curriculum and internationally recognised schools have fundamentally changed that idea. In his film Heerak Rajar Deshe, Satyajit Ray shows a rote-based, closed system of education; modern curricula stand at the exact opposite end. Here, the focus is more on students’ creativity and freedom of thought than on textbook knowledge.
The history of English-medium education in Bangladesh is long and rich. What began in 1912 with St Francis Xavier’s Greenherald International School has now grown into a large education system. According to the British Council, there are now more than 168 English-medium schools in the country. Through the Cambridge curriculum and Edexcel curriculum in particular, students now have the opportunity to develop themselves to international standards.
The core philosophy of this modern system is to move away from rote learning and memorising information. In Heerak Rajar Deshe, questioning is forbidden, but in today’s British curriculum, asking questions and seeking logical answers is central to learning. In modern classrooms, teachers are no longer just providers of information; they act as mentors. In today’s age of artificial intelligence, good results or GPA alone are not enough to prove oneself—problem-solving and critical thinking are what set a student apart from others.
In Heerak Rajar Deshe, Udayan Pandit’s small school faced countless challenges. Modern education systems also face challenges, but the opportunities have increased many times over. In today’s teaching methods, shaped by the British curriculum, children are taught not just what to think, but how to think.
The landscape of future employment and careers is changing rapidly. In this era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, there is no alternative to problem-solving skills if one is to keep pace with technology and artificial intelligence. English-medium schools provide hands-on training in problem-solving, which builds students’ confidence. According to those concerned, these skills prepare them to make complex decisions in the corporate world or to take on significant risks as new entrepreneurs.
In the long run, students educated through modern methods adapt quickly to new environments. They develop an analytical mindset that focuses not just on identifying problems but on addressing their root causes. At the same time, through teamwork, they learn to respect others’ views and establish their own leadership in a logical way from their school years.
Today’s modern education system is essentially a process of rediscovering oneself. Experts believe that if proper investment is made in students’ skills, they will be able to chart their own paths in an uncertain future. The importance of this new approach to learning continues to be emphasised by education specialists.