With the major recommendations of the National Education Policy 2010 left unimplemented in the past 15 years, the interim government is now planning to reform the policy.
As no major reforms have been undertaken over the years in the education sector, including during the current interim government period, the quality of education has seen little improvement in the country, observed senior educationists.
Though education is the backbone of a nation, it still remains neglected in the country, they also said.聽
Against this backdrop, Bangladesh today observes historic education day to mark the 63rd anniversary of the sacrifices students made on September 17, 1962 while protesting against the SM Sharif-led Education Commission.
On that day in 1962, three students 鈥� Mostafa, Babul and Wajiullah 鈥� were shot to death by the police while protesting against the pro-Pakistani education commission following the publication of its report.
The report made English and Urdu compulsory subjects, recommending that education should not be made affordable for the needy general people鈥檚 children by dismissing their right to free primary education.
Since then students and teachers have been observing September 17 as 鈥榚ducation day鈥�, demanding a scientific, single-stream, pro-people, and secular education system in the country.
Quazi Faruque Ahemd, who took part in the 1962 education movement as a student leader, said that from the movement till date no major reforms had been carried out in the education sector.聽
Quazi Faruque, also one of the members of the 2010 National Education Policy Formulation Committee, added that the major recommendations of the 2010 policy were yet to be implemented.
After the independence of Bangladesh, several education commissions and policies had been formed.
The latest policy had been formulated in 2010 under the then Awami League-led government.
Some of the 2010 major recommendations were to extend the primary education from Class V to Class VIII and the secondary education from Class IX to Class XII, prepare a uniform curriculum for all primary-level educational institutions.
The major recommendations also included creating separate salary structure for the teachers, giving emphasis on vocational education and research, and forming a permanent education commission.聽
After the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina-led government in August 2024, the interim government has so far formed 11 reform commissions while it has not formed any such commission for the reform of the education sector.
Education ministry officials said that an initiative had been taken recently to reform the 2010 education policy to update it.
The primary-level work towards the initiative has started for the reform, they added.
鈥楴owadays, not only education but also quality education is considered a right for the students, to ensure which we did not see any steps by the government over the years,鈥� said Dhaka University鈥檚 Institute of Education and Research teacher professor Shah Shamim Ahmed.
Mentioning that the quality indicators of the previous education policies had not been implemented in the country, he continued that the policies remained on papers only.
The educationist said that it was regretful that the current government did not form any reform commission for education which is the backbone of a nation.
鈥榃hy should the ministry start an initiative now after a year to reform the policy,鈥� he asked, adding that education remained the most neglected sector till now.
Quazi Faruque alleged that whichever government came to power, they surrendered to the bureaucracy while determining policies.
He urged the government to reform the policy in alignment with the modern artificial intelligence-based education and increase facilities for training of the teachers.聽
Professor Shah Shamim Ahmed added that the interim government could take initiative for reforming the policy while they should also set the implementation framework and strategy.
The interim government adviser for the education ministry, Professor Chowdhury Rafiqul Abrar, told 抖阴精品 on Tuesday that no decision had been taken yet regarding the new policy.
Replying to a question on the implementation of the 2010 policy, the adviser declined to make any comment.聽
Marking the historic Education Day, Samajtantrik Chhatra Front will hold a student rally styled as 鈥楶revent commercial and communal attacks on education鈥� today.
The rally will be held in the morning in front of the Aparajeyo Bangla sculpture on the Dhaka University campus.
