Rethink discriminatory aspects of draft education law
The government took initiative to pass an education law in 2011 with the aim of fully implementing the National Education Policy formulated in 2010. Nurul Islam Nahid was the education minister at that time. After the 2016 election, Dipu Moni took charge of the Ministry of Education. Unfortunately, the draft law has not been finalised yet.
While formulating the national education policy, the policy makers of the government termed it as a landmark initiative in the development of education. Meetings, recommendations and proposals have been made on the education law over and over. The proposal of the ministry was also sent to the cabinet division once. But it was withdrawn in the face of criticism.
According to a report published last Friday in Prothom Alo, the ministry of education has drafted a proposed education law that includes coaching centres and note-books. However, teachers will not be able to coach students of the educational institutions where they reach and also cannot conduct coaching when the main institutions remain open. Controversy over coaching and guide books in education sector is very nothing new. Previously coaching centres were limited to urban areas. Now this has spread to rural areas. Teachers are busy with coaching rather than teaching in the main educational institutions. They could not be stopped even by imposing various restrictions. Parents too have developed the idea that their children will not be able to do well in exams without coaching. Note-books have been added to the coaching. The students can acquire knowledge about the relevant subjects by reading the textbooks. But the students use notes or guide books to pass exams.
The education policy of 2010 formulated by the Awami League government was praised by all. But it is not enough to formulate a good policy, it has to be implemented. Many argue in favour of coaching centres and guide books. But both are instigating discrimination in education. The children of who cannot afford it will be deprived of the opportunity.
The education policy stated that primary education would be up to eighth grade. But that has also been stopped on the pretext of infrastructural problems. It was the Qudrat-e-Khuda Commission that recommended the promotion of primary education up to the eighth standard and the introduction of uniform education. This must be implemented for the overall development of primary level education, even if in phases.
Despite these shortcomings in the proposed education law, we believe it is reasonable for public and private universities to offer distance learning and e-learning courses.
Although the Ministry of Education has finalised the draft education law, the final decision has not been made yet. The matter will be discussed in the cabinet committee and presented to the cabinet for approval. Our expectation is that the government will not include anything in the education law that will harm the educational lives of billions of students and true learning. People want to see an education system free of coaching centres and guide books.