There has been no visible improvement in the education sector, a vital area, under the interim government over the past year. Instead, indecision, bureaucratic complications, and inertia have further weakened the system.
While there have been changes in individuals occupying various positions in the education sector, this has not brought about any significant changes in practice. Allegations of corruption and irregularities remain as persistent as before.
Education has long been neglected in budget allocations. The education sector’s share of the national budget in the current fiscal year, under the interim administration, has not increased either; in fact, allocations for primary education have fallen, making the path towards ensuring quality education even more difficult.
Work on implementing or revising the National Education Policy has also stalled. Since the July mass uprising, the interim government has formed 11 commissions for state reform, yet none have been for the education sector. Although a consultative committee has been formed for primary education, progress in implementing its recommendations has been minimal.
Instead, ignoring the opinions of this committee, the government has reinstated the Primary Scholarship Examination on a “quota basis”. Forty per cent of fifth graders will be eligible to take the test. Alongside primary level, preparations are also underway to introduce a junior scholarship exam for eighth graders, seven months into the academic year.
Former Adviser for Primary and Mass Education under the caretaker government, Rasheda K Chowdhury, noted that the mass uprising began with discontent over quota system in education and employment. Yet these quotas remain in the scholarship system. As a result, schools will focus on the selected students, which will foster inequality.
Formation of search committees for vice-chancellor appointments is one of the positive decisions of the interim government. Through such a committee, Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) appointed a new vice-chancellor last month, ending nearly five months of stagnation at the institution.
There were high expectations that the new government, having initiated reforms in many areas, would also act on education. But there was not even an education commission. Only a committee for primary education was formed, which made recommendations.BRAC University Emeritus Professor Manzoor Ahmed
Another positive step was increasing the festival bonus for teachers of MPO-listed private educational institutions from 25 per cent to 50 per cent of their basic salary. However, despite allocating bonds worth Tk 22 billion (2200 crore) to the retirement and welfare trust, officials say it will take about six months before beneficiaries can access the funds. This means retired teachers and staff continue to face hardship.
Professor Chowdhury Rafiqul Abrar (CR Abrar) has been serving as Education Adviser since March. When asked for comment, he acknowledged the role of young people in the mass uprising and noted that institutions had been closed during a period of major unrest.
It had taken some time to restore normalcy in the educational institutions, with some schools seeing the release of pent-up grievances, while others returned to normal more quickly.
Professor Abrar further said he could not comment on the absence of an education commission, but confirmed that work had begun on how to restructure secondary education.
“It cannot be said that very few initiatives have been taken overall. I hope that in the next five or six months we will be able to accelerate the efforts we have started,” he added.
Changes in leadership
When the interim government was formed on 8 August last year, the education ministry was under the responsibility of the Chief Adviser. Later on 16 August, the portfolio was handed to economist Professor Wahiduddin Mahmud, who faced a crisis over the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations immediately after taking charge.
On 20 August, a group of students entered the Secretariat, reaching the 18th floor to lay siege to the Ministry of Education. Faced with protests, the ministry cancelled several previously postponed examinations. This prompted widespread criticism.
Later, after results were published, another group of students protested inside the Secretariat demanding a reissue of results. However, that demand was not met.
Another issue appeared regarding higher education. After the mass uprising, almost all vice-chancellors, pro-vice-chancellors, treasurers, and other senior officials appointed during the Awami League government resigned from autonomous and public universities.
Restoring normal academic and administrative activities at these institutions became one of Professor Wahid Uddin Mahmud’s major tasks. It took almost three months to fill all VC posts, which disrupted university operations. In some cases, institutional heads were forced out under pressure, or removed by forming “mobs”.
Around the same time, the government scrapped the new curriculum and reverted to the 2012 version. This caused some difficulties for students, who had to wait almost three months into the academic year to receive all their textbooks.
The National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) is a key body in the education system. But it has been operating without a chairman since March. One of its members has been serving as acting chairman for over four months.
In March, Professor CR Abrar, a former Dhaka University academic, was appointed Education Adviser. Then Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant on Education, Professor M Aminul Islam, resigned. Professor Wahiduddin Mahmud was left solely in charge of the Planning Ministry.
Sources indicate that since taking office, Professor Abrar has not introduced major structural reforms. He, however, has launched a review and revision of 123 textbooks.
Though the government has said that a revised secondary curriculum will be introduced in 2027 (initially in class-VI), no official committee has yet been formed.
Discussions and debates
There was much discussion on a statement of Professor CR Abrar in early June. During an event at the Ministry of Education, the adviser himself revealed that he had been offered a bribe of Tk 10 million for an appointment to an important post. He said he rejected the offer. The individual was not appointed, though no details were given about who they were or whether any action had been taken against them.
On 21 July, following the crash of a fighter aircraft at Milestone School and College in Uttara, killing and injuring several people, a day of national mourning was declared. At 2:45 am that night, the HSC examination scheduled for 22 July was postponed.
This angered students, who protested inside and outside the Secretariat demanding the resignation of the Education Adviser and Senior Secretary for Secondary and Higher Education, Siddiq Zobayer.
The government subsequently removed Zobayer from his post. The position remains vacant, with an additional secretary carrying out routine duties.
After the formation of the interim government, retired official Sheikh Abdur Rashid was appointed on contract as Senior Secretary of the Secondary and Higher Education Division. When he was later made Cabinet Secretary, another retired official, Siddiq Zobayer, was appointed to the position on contract.
Little progress on recommendations
Although no education commission was established, a consultative committee led by BRAC University Emeritus Professor Manzoor Ahmed was formed to improve the quality of primary education.
The committee identified key problems and made recommendations, but there are no signs yet of implementation. The ministry officials, however, claimed work is underway.
So far, only one recommendation — upgrading head teachers of government primary schools to Grade-10 in line with a court ruling — has been implemented. But the assistant teachers remain in their previous pay grade and are continuing protests for an upgrade.
Experts say that while there have been changes in personnel, the structural reforms hoped for have not materialised.
Commenting on the education sector’s performance over the past year, Professor Manzoor Ahmed told Prothom Alo, “We are disappointed — that is the main point.”
“There were high expectations that the new government, having initiated reforms in many areas, would also act on education. But there was not even an education commission. Only a committee for primary education was formed, which made recommendations. Yet we see no well-planned, overall initiative being taken on the basis of those recommendations,” he stated.
Stating that a comprehensive plan for education is essential, Manzoor Ahmed said, “Now the government’s tenure is nearing its end, and it is not clear whether they will be able to do anything in the remaining time.”