The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Participants of a workshop on 'an alternative education system sensitive to gender and pluralism in Bangladesh" stressed on introducing unitary, standard, scientific,pro-people, serial phased education system suitable with socio-economic pattern of the country as well as compatible with the age of globalisation.

The programme presided over by renowned educationist Prof. Md. Hani at Abdul Khalek auditorium of the city on Wednesday morning jointly organized by Bangladesh Nari Pragoti Sangha (BNPS), Institute for Environment and Development (IED) and Barisal Association for Social Advancement Services (BASAS).

Among others Shahnaz Sumi of BNPS,Ovijit Roy of IED, Bandona Nath of BASAS,Jibon Krishna Dey , Akkas Hossain, Shamsuddin Khan, Nikhil Sen, Enayet Hossain Chowdhury, Enayet Hossain Shiplu,Rabeya Khatun, Begum Faizun Nahar Shelley, Bimol Chakroborty, Shamvu Sarkar,Sheuli Afroz, Prosanta Kumar Das,Habibur Rahman,Shamayal Chandra Das,Anjali Chatterji, H M Ferdousi, representing different sectors of education, cultural, children, citizen, human rights movements, elite participated in the discussion.

The discussants said that since last 37 years after liberation scientific, pro-people unitary education system compatible with the moral values, ethics and needs of the nation and facing the challenges of globalisation yet not introduced and education and examination procedures from pre-primary to post-graduate level have not developed with chronological continuity.

Practicing different types of education and examination systems packed with unnecessary burdens of books and accessories from pre-primary to post-graduation levels in both public and private sectors failed to fulfill professional needs in national and international fields.

While the private sector fulfilling more than eighty percent of education demands following the same curriculum and syllabus like public sector, then the discrimination of status and benefits between the both sectors remained with a vast distances and meritorious people day by day becoming less interested and more discouraged to work in education sectors.

They calling for imposing restrictions on private tuition of the teachers in working hours and compulsion of getting private tuition from certain teachers or subjects said that number of trained teachers are not only insufficient but training was not also applicable in class rooms and vacancies of the eligible teachers in different phases of education sectors remained for long days.

The participants of the workshop also demanded review of the humiliating systems of engaging teachers in different types of works outside of their professional sector and imposing compulsion about showdown of students in different types of government programs, receptions of the high officials of state and government.