Education sector in disarray, crisis deepens

Rabiul Kabir Chowdhury, an officer of the education cadre, had been serving as the acting chairman of the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) for nearly seven and a half months. He was simultaneously holding the positions of member (curriculum) and member (primary curriculum). On 6 November, he went on post-retirement leave. As a result, three important posts at NCTB—including the chairman—became vacant at the same time.

Breaking tradition, an additional secretary from the ministry of education—someone from outside the institution—has been given additional responsibility as NCTB chairman. But with the textbook printing season under way, the practically leaderless NCTB is raising concerns about whether it will be able to distribute textbooks on time at the start of the new academic year.

Another important institution, the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE), has been without a director general for over a month. One officer is merely carrying out routine duties and cannot take major policy decisions, preventing administrative activities from regaining momentum. Yet staffing these posts is supposed to be part of the ministry’s routine work.

“DSHE is now running at a slow pace,” said an officer of the department.

Leadership vacuum, uncertainty over curriculum, teacher protests, a deepening crisis surrounding Dhaka’s seven colleges at the university level, and the long-standing suffering of private-school teachers and staff regarding retirement benefits—all together are revealing a steadily worsening picture of disarray and stagnation in the education sector.

According to people involved in education, after the mass uprising, the public had hoped for at least some reforms in the education sector. But in reality, the interim government has given education the least importance. As a result, negative aspects—not positive changes—are dominating the discussion, and the overall weaknesses of the education system are becoming more apparent.

Although teacher protests have pushed the government into increasing house rent allowances for MPO-listed teachers and raising festival allowances slightly, other issues persist. For example, following a High Court writ by 45 head teachers, the salaries of all government primary school head teachers are being upgraded by one grade to Grade 10. The finance division has approved the move, and a notification will be issued once the secretary-level administrative development committee completes its recommendations.

In primary education, a 10-month diploma programme is being introduced at Primary Teacher Training Institutes (PTIs) to recruit more skilled teachers. These are some of the few positive developments in the sector at present. Comparatively more work is visible at the primary level, but activities under the education ministry remain highly disorganised.

In recent months, teachers and staff from various public and private institutions have launched one movement after another, disrupting teaching during the crucial end of the academic year.

Government primary school teachers staged a sit-in from 8–10 November at Dhaka’s Central Shaheed Minar demanding that assistant teachers’ salaries be upgraded to Grade 10. During the same period (9 and 10 November), many schools experienced work stoppages, which dealt a blow to students’ studies.

Professor Bidhan Ranjan Roy Poddar, adviser to the primary and mass education ministry, considers the assistant teachers’ demand for Grade 10 “unreasonable.” At a press briefing on 18 November at the secretariat, he said that when the notification upgrading head teachers to Grade 10 hasn’t even been issued, how can assistant teachers demand Grade 10? What kind of logic is that?

He did, however, mention that the proposal to upgrade assistant teachers currently in Grade 13 to Grade 11 is under consideration.

Meanwhile, non-MPO teachers demanding MPO enlistment for all recognised private institutions have been protesting in Dhaka for almost three weeks. On 9 November, when they tried to surround the education ministry, police dispersed them with water cannons and sound grenades.

MPO-listed teachers and staff also began protests on 12 October demanding higher house rent and other allowances. After nine days, the government announced a 15 per cent increase in house rent, to be implemented in two phases—7.5 per cent from November this year, and the remaining from 1 July next year.

Teachers of ibtedayi madrasas are protesting to demand nationalisation. There is also a long-standing complication regarding promotions within the BCS general education cadre. Under the banner of “BCS General Education Cadre Lecturers’ Council,” teachers have launched a movement demanding promotions.

Altogether, the failures of education administration have pushed the interim government into taking decisions under pressure from these protests.

Due to financial constraints, MPO-listed teachers and staff have long suffered delays in receiving retirement and welfare benefits. That situation has now worsened. Even 15 months after the mass uprising, the interim government has not yet reconstituted the Retirement and Welfare Board. Two officers had been performing routine duties as secretaries. Now two new officers have been appointed, but delays continue. Many teachers are waiting months—even two to three years after retirement—to receive their rightful benefits.

The failure to receive retirement benefits at the end of their careers has created deep frustration among many teachers.

In 2017, Dhaka’s seven major government colleges—Dhaka College, Eden Mohila College, Begum Badrunnesa Mohila College, Shaheed Suhrawardy College, Kabi Nazrul College, Bangla College, and Titumir College—were affiliated with Dhaka University without adequate preparation.

In January this year, it was decided to detach these colleges from Dhaka University and bring them under a new university. But the affiliation was canceled before the structure of the proposed university was finalised, creating confusion.

Meanwhile, the government announced a new university named “Dhaka Central University,” and admission activities for first-year honours have already begun under the proposed institution. Teachers of these colleges have questioned the legal validity of this move. They say beginning admissions before the law is passed is “illegal” and may jeopardise students’ futures.

There are both supporters and opponents of the proposed plan. Due to the ensuing complications, college teachers began a three-day full-day work stoppage on 18 November, halting classes. However, ongoing Dhaka University examinations remain outside the purview of the protest.
The ministry of education is also uncertain—there is still no clarity regarding the structure under which the new university will operate. The government has taken an in-principle decision to establish an independent “Dhaka Central University” comprising the seven colleges. But in a statement on 18 November, the ministry noted that completing the ordinance and overall process will take time.

Until last year, the new curriculum was implemented in Grades 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, and 9. According to the previous plan, the curriculum was supposed to be introduced this year in Grades 4, 5, and 10, completing the rollout for all school grades.

But after the July mass uprising that toppled the Awami League government, the new secondary curriculum was canceled and the 2012 curriculum reinstated. Students will continue to receive textbooks based on this older curriculum next year as well. However, at the primary level, the new curriculum is effectively still in place.

This raises the question that how realistic is it to teach students using a curriculum in 2025 that is more than a decade old? Typically, curricula are updated every five years to stay relevant.

In June, the ministry of education announced that a revised new curriculum would be introduced in secondary education from 2027, starting with Grade 6 and then gradually up to Grade 12.

So far, no committee has been formed to draft the curriculum outline. It is assumed that under the interim government such an outline will not be prepared, especially since the national election is expected in February, with the election schedule to be announced in the first week of next month. Typically, no major policy decision is taken after the election schedule is announced.

Curriculum experts say that while a curriculum can be scrapped, failing to prepare an alternative plan means losing direction in the education sector. Without a curriculum suited to current times, long-term harm is inevitable.
Moreover, without prior planning, scholarship exams have been reintroduced for Grades 5 and 8. Many experts believe this will increase unnecessary competition and inequality among children.

Although 11 reform commissions were formed after the July uprising, the interim government did not form any commission for the education sector—drawing criticism from educationists who argue that education should have been one of the top reform priorities.

Late last month, the ministry of education formed a 10-member advisory committee headed by BRAC University Emeritus Professor Manzoor Ahmed to improve the quality of secondary education.

Previously, in October last year, a similar advisory committee was formed under Professor Manzoor Ahmed for primary and non-formal education. That committee made over a hundred recommendations, most of which remained unimplemented, and some only partially acted upon.

In this context, Professor Manzoor Ahmed told Prothom Alo that they expect to deliver their report within the tenure of the interim government and have begun work accordingly. They will also provide interim recommendations that the government can begin implementing.

He hopes that the next elected government will act on the full report. It would be disappointing if no steps are taken based on the report.

Dhaka University Professor Tariq Monzur believes that unless the education sector is made a top priority, its many problems will remain unresolved.

Professor Tariq Monzur told Prothom Alo, “There have been fundamental changes in teaching methods worldwide—from primary to higher education. We have not been able to take that into account. Competent and skilled individuals must be appointed to curriculum planning and implementation. Instead, in our country, appointments and transfers are driven by political identity and personal recommendations.”

He added that major posts in key institutions should be filled immediately without waiting for a political government. Teachers’ salaries, allowances, and honorariums for education-related work should be significantly increased. Teachers too must set aside personal and group interests and focus on teaching.