The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Speakers at a dialogue yesterday said the disparity in the education system, enrolment of low quality teachers in primary schools, poor wage scale and lack of proper environment in the educational institutions are the main hindrance for achieving quality education in

the country.

They made their remark at a dialogue on "Achieving Universal Primary Education with Quality and Equity". The Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) and the Campaign for Popular Education (CAMPE) jointly organised the dialogue at the BRAC Centre Inn Auditorium. Primary and Mass Education Adviser Rasheda K Chowdhury was present at the dialogue as chief guest while Badrul Alam Tarafdar, Secretary of the Ministry of the Primary and Mass Education was attended as special guest. Prof Rehman Sobhan, Chairman of CPD chaired the roundtable. Besides, Dr Mahbub Hossain, Executive Director of BRAC and Dr Manzoor Ahmed, senior Adviser of BRAC University presented two separate papers.

Former Vice Chancellor of the Jahangirnagar University (JU) Prof Kazi Saleh Ahmed said the government had created disparity in the education system by permitting 10 to 11 types of educational systems in the country's primary education level.

"Difference type of primary education has been hampering quality education," he said, adding, "Government intervention is a must to ensure quality education."

Prof Kazi Shaif Ahmed of JU said people of the country have expressed their doubt on ability to non-government agencies to expand primary education in the country.

"The government must be taken responsibility to ensure primary education to all by the consent of pundits in this fields," he said.

SM Asadullah, a leader of primary school association alleged, that the government did not take initiative to identify problems in primary education system.

"Teachers of the primary schools have been engaged in preparing voter lists and other government activities during schedule classes of school. So, how can they instruct their students," he pointed out.

"We have spent 50 per cent of our working hours in non-educational purposes," he added.

Former Education Minister Sheikh Shahidul Islam said, that the government must ensure compulsory primary education.

Primary and Mass Education Adviser Rasheda K Chowdhury said she would have taken initiative to solve the problem in the primary education system.

Dr Mahbub Hossain in his paper said 80 per cent of the boys and 87 per cent of girls aged between 6 to 17 attended schools in 2008. It was 63 per cent and 51 per cent in 1988, he informed.

Among the drop out from primary school are students of landless, poor and illiterate parents, he said.