EDUCATION in Bangladesh has been recently experiencing rigorous scrutiny after decades of stagnant underfunding, malpractice and poor prioritisation. Moreover, the broader sector has been crucially lacking accountability for public good under the now-deposed dictatorial regime. Thus, the masses barely had an opinion to pose or a question to ask. In the democratic era we live in, the system is meant to accommodate 鈥榙oubting, full or partial disagreement, challenging, or rejecting a statement鈥�, as Howe and other thinkers state. In this piece, I propose the freedom and practice of questioning throughout our education ecosystem to re-establish social justice and people鈥檚 trust.听
Training and practice of three things 鈥� freedom of choice and the capacity to defend it 鈥� as well as a discourse culture, are crucial at academic institutions because they foster the growth of conscience and intellect in people. Presumably, we would not have seen a Sheikh Hasina and many intellectuals who seem to have come out of an uncritical educational system.听
Human beings have a naturally curious mind from birth. When children first speak, they bombard parents with enquiries that can completely take over their lives. The children typically react positively to the responses they receive from parents. The learning environment expands as children enter an institution. They get to know plenty of classmates and teachers who can provide solutions to a wide range of additional questions. Occasionally, identical sets of questions provide contradictory and varying responses. At this point, children come across a wealth of information pertinent to their enquiries. Do our schools provide a sufficient variety of scopes to aid students in analysing answers to questions? Do educational institutions offer instructions on how to justify answers to questions?
The Greek philosopher Socrates repeatedly probed his students and colleagues to uncover the underlying assumptions of their opinions, hoping to disclose a contradiction and disprove the initial assumption. This method, often called the Socratic approach, is a powerful tool for stimulating critical thinking and exposing the presumptions underlying every viewpoint. Is there room in our education for such questioning?
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Why do we need education?
RESEARCHERS and scientists studying education see education as the force that advances the moral and intellectual growth that political society requires, with an emphasis on the interpersonal relationships among people that make democratic society possible. Every civilisation has several issues that democratically trained citizens must handle. Interactions within the community reveal opportunities for improving our comprehension of and relationship with our surroundings.
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How does learning start?
EFFECTIVE questioning is a fundamental part of learning. Dialogue and discourse are usually initiated and sustained through questioning. Now, why are dialogue and discourse necessary for learning and education or an institution as a whole? Can they be excluded from the process of building and developing knowledge?听
Essential components of human rights and democracy, dialogue and discourse can serve as helpful tools for cognitive and psychological development. Language is the primary tool used in a socio-cultural context to enhance thinking, reasoning and understanding鈥攖hat is, human intellectual development, which includes knowledge, skills, abilities, and attitudes deemed desirable by society. Hence, developing desired moral and intellectual talents requires a conversation and discussion setting. Individuals who engage in dialogue with one another possess equal agency, with no one holding greater authority than the other. Dialogue is the process of self-discovery. Promoting an environment that values every individual is an educational institution鈥檚 duty.
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Environment of inquiry, dialogue and discourse
HIGHER education is crucial in boosting progress since it allows us to acquire general and specialised information. University graduates are expected to be prepared for professional lives through experiential and hands-on learning opportunities. But how many Bangladeshi university graduates go on to actively shape their own identities as effective social beings with both scientific and humanistic viewpoints? Did we pursue anything other than a high GPA and a well-paying career after graduating?
What opportunities exist for our faculty members and students to participate in the learning process? By encouraging professors and students to participate actively in the academic and administrative processes, our postsecondary institutions should concentrate on helping them develop moral and intellectual qualities.
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Dialogue and discourse in higher education: A proposal
TO BE able to choose and to argue for that choice is to be in the process of learning. Both the administrative and classroom components should place equal weight on the process. This section offers a suggestion on how to choose a vice chancellor at an institution where the dialogic technique is applicable.
The government appoints VCs, and these appointments are typically political. He is anticipated to work for the government or, more specifically, the ruling political party. It has always been questioned, either publicly or secretly, if the party VC is involved in that university鈥檚 intellectual, cultural, administrative, academic, and physical development.
Does adhering to a particular public process for VC appointments further accountability and transparency? The following recommendation is inclusive and democratic for policymakers to consider. Teachers at all levels who believe they are qualified to handle the administrative duties of a vice chancellor should set up a seminar with their concept papers, highlighting their roles as academic leaders, their relationships with students, any special projects they have undertaken for the welfare and development of students, and their relationships with other colleagues and educators. What particular plans do they have for working with teachers and students? How have they contributed to a sense of community?
The VC candidates must defend their concept papers before the teacher and student communities. In front of the audience should be a panel of judges of the teachers and students from that university. Afterwards, teachers and students must engage in an anonymous voting process to determine the winner. Voters are required to provide thoughtful answers to a few questions on the voting paper. Some examples of potential inquiries are: i) Is the candidate a solid academic? ii) Do the applicant鈥檚 administrative objectives align with the institution鈥檚 overall development? iii) Does the applicant have a decent rapport with students? iv) Is the candidate鈥檚 rapport with other colleagues up to par? v) Is there any documentation of overt or subtle mistreatment of teachers or pupils by the candidate?
After assessing the votes, the electoral commission, a body responsible for overseeing the fairness and transparency of the election process, ought to announce the outcome. This commitment to transparency and accountability should reassure the student and teacher community. They should get a report from the VC outlining plans and progress every three months, further reinforcing the system鈥檚 transparency and accountability.听
This selection process may strengthen an institution鈥檚 dialogic environment, encouraging reflexivity and interaction. This kind of approach can also be used in academic affairs, such as when developing curricula, syllabuses, seminars, and symposiums. Talk and debate have the power to build sensitive people who will defend democracy and value the opinions, dissent and voices of the unaffiliated. We need discourse as we are not apes that make the same whoop, whoop noises. We need to support the expression of our diverse voices, styles and narratives in our institutions and society at large.
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Meherun Nesa is an associate professor in the department of English, Jagannath University, Dhaka.