'Implementation of new curriculum to be a big challenge'

We heard education was better during the British rule. During Bangladesh period many say education was better during the Pakistan regime. What is the condition of our education now?

With the passage of time, the quality of our education is improving. It seems to be a wonder. Curriculum is the main thing to understand education. Three phases need to be known to understand curriculum. The first one is intention -- how we want to see of our education system. The second one is implementation or its application in the classroom. The third one is what the students are obtaining.

Quality education is being ensured when there is less gap between gains and intention. I must say the quality of our education is increasing at the intention level. If knowledge and skill are taken into consideration, the difference between the previous generation and the current generation can be realised easily. The dimension of knowledge of students now is better than the former students. In the past students would memorise everything. Now their thinking capacity is increasing. Teaching in the classroom is now better than in the past. Learning is becoming participatory now. Group work is taking place and ICT is being used.

How consistent is the proposed new curriculum with the education policy of 2010?

We are going down on the wrong path. It was urgent to reform our education policy. Many issues of the education policy are not befitting the present context. If we take Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) into consideration or tally with the fourth industrial revolution, the education policy needs to be reformed massively. The curriculum should have been formulated in the light of education policy. If the education policy is reformed now, the reform of curriculum will surface again.

The different sttreams-humanities, science and commerce - have been removed from Class IX and X. Won't that made the students indifferent towards science?

It is positive. Three committees were formed when errors in the text books were detected in 2016. Those committees made recommendations on science education. Everyone has to have a basic knowledge in science so that they can utilise the knowledge of science in the daily life. It has to be there for all up to certain level. UNESCO has set this level over 15 years. In Bangladesh the students of this age group study in Class IX and X.

Moreover, a student has gain the ability to take the decision about which group he or she will study. But the guardians normally decide that their children will study in science or humanities.

It is a big challenge to make standard text books in accordance with the outline of the new curriculum. What do you think, will the teachers will be capable to teach new textbooks?

It is a big challenge to make textbooks. We have to think about the future. I am optimistic and a critic as well. Except a few public universities, a matter of concern is the quality of teachers of other educational institutions. According to Bangladesh Bureau of Educational Information and Statistics, 60 per cent of our BSc teachers have passed in the third division. Good students are not coming to the teaching profession. Why are they not coming? They have to pass their entire lives as assistant teachers in school. There is nothing about this in new curriculum. We are thinking about good things, but who will implement these? I respect teachers, but I have no confidence that existing teachers can be trained to do that. The policymakers have to think about the issue of teachers.

Students and guardians are happy that examinations are being reduced. What is your evaluation as an educationist?

Examinations and evaluation are two different matters. It is a good decision that examinations in the lower classes have decreased. Curriculum experts have never recommended holding PEC and JSC examinations. It is a decision of the government. In our country, the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) is formulating curriculum. The education board is taking decision on examinations. Does the board have the right to say how many examinations will be held or not? NCTB will do that and the board will implement it. Institutional jurisdiction is not followed here. Examinations are being stopped in the lower tiers and we will get the results from this. But three public examinations have been kept in Classes X, XI and XII. I have questions about this.

There are allegations that the textbooks are written in a manner that most of the students do not understand.

I have some textbooks of Japan. Sixty writers have written a book after working hard for two years. What is happening in our country? I have practical experience in recent times. Under the Technical Education Board, some 13 books of Class IX and X are being corrected. A book of 300 pages is given only 10 days. What will the writers do in this short span of time? Many are making books simply by downloading from Google.

What will happen to the madrasah and technical education regarding the new curriculum?

Nothing has been said in the outline of the new curriculum. I think it is an incomplete outline. This curriculum is being called from the pre-primary to Class XII. But nothing has been said about the curriculum of Class XI and XII. The way the NCTB has formulated the curriculum is not proper. NCTB formed committees. It has done everything. But there is a big question who has ultimately formulated the curriculum.

What is your evaluation about the new curriculum?

Huge importance has been given to science in the outline of new curriculum. That is a matter of tension too. There are only two science teachers in school. Who will teach these subjects? We have to face a big challenge to implement the new curriculum. It is conflicting in the socio-economic context. It is also conflicting with our current teaching force. Big changes need to be brought about in the recruitment of teachers to implement it. Otherwise, there will be a catastrophic situation. The expectation has been very high. The intention is very big.

Do you think adequate time has been taken to implement the curriculum?

There have been a few discussions on this curriculum. Those who talked and pointed out they have been removed from the responsibilities. There is much to talk on this. There are good things. What is the benefit of it if we cannot make the goods things sustainable?

How much education has been affected by coronavirus?

The loss is huge. The education ministry had negligence. Eight countries have shut educational institutions entire period of coronavirus. Bangladesh is one of them. Its multifarious impact will be visible in future. I have tried to understand the government's investment in the education sector during the coronavirus period. We would say there was no network a year ago. Still we are saying so. May be some have convinced the government that coronavirus will go away and so what is the benefit of the investment here.

Thank you.

Thank you too