We are perhaps duly recognised for increasing rate of enrolment of students at primary and secondary levels, especially of girls. The reasons are possibly not far to seek: at the initial stage of development of any country, quantity counts more than quality. That's fine. But after reaching an enrolment rate of about 90 per cent, the issue of quality education should be at the centre-stage where quantity becomes a necessity but not a sufficient condition for educational attainment.
Samir Ranjan Nath, a researcher of the Bangladesh Education Watch and a research coordinator of the Research and Evaluation Division (RED) of BRAC, recently published a book titled Shikkha - Asha, Bastobota, Nobo Asha (Education: Hopes, Realities and New hopes).
The author is of the view that the praiseworthy progress of education at lower level of the spectrum that we often are proud of, owes much to the post-1990 steps undertaken by the successive governments. In consequence of those laudable steps, the gross and the net enrolment rates in schools have gone up. Roughly 87 per cent of children of 6-10 years of age are now attending schools when pitted against 60 per cent in 1960. Children beyond this age bar are also going to schools putting the attendance at 107 per cent. Admission in secondary schools has increased one and a half times during the last 7 years. More importantly, the dropout rate has declined with an increased completion rate in primary schools. For example, three-fourths of those enrolled in primary schools have completed the education cycle. In both primary and secondary schools, the enrolment rate of boys and girls are at par. In South Asia, after Sri Lanka, Bangladesh is the only country to have made this achievement.
But all that glitters is not gold. A peep into the dynamics of progress in primary and secondary education reveals interesting insights. Generally speaking, 60 per cent of those enrolled remain present in the classes. There could be scarcity of space in a class in case all enrolled enter it. Considering school enrolment, dropouts and completion rates, about 40 per cent of those enrolled in primary schools have crossed their primary school age without reaching the fifth grade. Even after studying up to class V, two-thirds of students continue to remain illiterate or in pre-literacy rate. These groups are not able to attain the minimum requirement of literacy even after studying for five years. As a result, they are stepping into the next stage of age without preparatory education for livelihoods.
The students who get admitted into the sixth grade, only one-thirds of them can qualify in the examination taken at the beginning. Those admitted into the sixth grade, only one-fifths of them succeed in passing SSC or Dakhil examination (boys 26; Girls 15). And finally, there is in evidence wide disparity in the standard of education on the heels of urban-rural, male-female ratio, status of educational institutions etc. Those lying at the lower end of the economic ladder are likely to get less access to education.
The author of the book also highlights some challenges in the way of attaining standard education although there is no unambiguous definition of standard. However, he is of the view that given the number of students, there is a dearth of schools, classrooms and teachers. To reach a reasonable standard of education, all these facilities should be doubled. The upazila education officer cannot function properly owing to lack of logistics. Unfortunately, the union parishad has no role in the implementation of the targets in primary education. Students enroll themselves in schools with many hopes but hypes grip them immediately in the wake of shortage of sitting space, and they tend to lose interest in schools. It is also not possible for a teacher to conduct education in a classroom of 60-70 students.
The classroom is the weakest point in progress. A one-way teaching follows without any attempt to inject questions in the minds of the pupils. More pathetically, the pupils are restrained from raising their hands for a question. Also, the teachers lack proper knowledge in the subjects of science, mathematics and English. By and large, there are many other barriers to constrain standard education and the disparity therewith. For example and in a drastic drift from the past, primary school level children have to run after private tutors (by force or by choice) - only affordable for the richer segment. Only one-fifths of those in class V participate in merit/scholarship examination. They are provided with special care at the cost of the four-fifths in the same class. Besides, the system also deprives the poor pupils of pushing them to the doorsteps of poverty and disparity.
Another source of concern is the lack of facilities in terms of teachers and equipment for science education. For example, only about one-fifths of schools have laboratory facilities with sufficient equipment for ninth and tenth grade students; one-thirds have no laboratory but some equipment only kept in shelf in the seating room of teachers. One-fifths of schools have 'up-to-the-mark' facilities where students can access equipment physically.
The author then suggests what is doable. Let us highlight some of these suggestions. Political interference in the management of schools should be stopped altogether. Good governance should be established in consultation with stakeholders. A regular meeting among teachers, guardians and school management should be worked out to induce transparency and accountability. The planning and management of primary-level education should rest with local initiatives and ideas rather than from far-flung capital city. The age-old centralised system of governance of the primary schools should be replaced by a decentralised one. And finally, regular training of teachers and development of the upazila education office with qualified manpower and physical facilities would serve the purpose of improving quality education.
So, there seems to be little room for complacency - a long way to go for quality education. Political commitment is required. 'Standard education' or quality education should be defined well and incorporated into the constitution that overlooks quality education. In the years to come, we expect rise in both quantity and quality in primary- and secondary-level education. We may learn much from the experiences of Japan and Korea in this regard.
The writer is a Professor of Economics at Jahangirnagar University.
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