In the early sixties of the last century science education was very popular with high school students. Every good student opted for science education. I myself could not study science as our school, which was a new one, did not have the science group. At some points I wanted to change the school, but some other considerations like the all free studentship from the school prevented me from changing the school and also that prevented me from studying science.
However, I wanted to change the track of study at the college level, that is changing the study of humanities in favour of science study. But when I offered for a verbal admission test at the famous Chittagong College, the admission committee Chairman advised me to study humanities. His argument was that since I did not study science at the SSC level, as I need another scholarship to support my study at the higher level, I should go for humanities study where in all probability I would do a good result again. His counsel appealed to my inner feeling, and after two days I went to him again and said I wanted to get admitted to the humanities group. That decision was alright for me, and today I think that was also a turning point in my life as I did so good at the higher secondary examination occupying a position in the merit list among the successful candidates of the then Comilla Education Board. Two good results, first at the SSC level and second at the HSC level put me in the Economics Department for study the Bachelor of Arts degree with honours in Economics at the University of Dhaka. But the reality was that talented students chose science study as the future course of studies. In Chittagong College also more talented students opted for science study. They wanted to be future physicians or doctors and engineers. In those days doctors and engineers carried an extra value in society. Their employment in respectable positions was almost a guaranteed one. There was not many doctors or engineers around in the country. Science education was emphasized from the top level. The other much sought-after job was the administrative jobs after passing keenly contested central superior service examination of Pakistan. An elite class through offering top government jobs was being brought up consciously by the Pakistani policy makers.
The importance of science education started taking a back seat after Bangladesh's independence, that also not in the first decade of independence but since the middle of 80's. Students and the guardians got an idea that science education is difficult and the easy way to go up is either with study of humanities or commerce. During this period our economy was opened up for private investment, and with that banking and financial sectors were also opened up for private investment. Within a few years many banking and financial institutions came into being in private sector. These institutions needed more commerce graduates popularly became known as MBAs than science graduates. All the private universities opened up programmes for producing MBA graduates, though some of these institutions reluctantly opened up also science programmes. The enrolment in science programmes was poor and many universities simply subsidized these programmes from the money they earned from the commerce education. An overall reluctance grew surrounding the science education among students and teachers. The glorious days of science education seemed to have come to an end with an over-jealous pursuance of commerce education. Science education requires longer hours of study. Students and teachers were to spend more times in the labs, there is nothing like this for commerce and humanities studies.
The truth is that the market dethroned science from its previous position. But does it mean science has lost its utility? Do we not need more and better doctors or engineers anymore? Actually science can never lose its crown, as long as world civilization thrives on innovation and technological advancement. What happened in Bangladesh -an apathy to science education, seems to be temporary. One day everyone will again feel the importance and reward of science education. Science and math go together. Mathematics is having its use everywhere. Nowadays, though science graduates are falling behind in job markets, they will shine again once the craze for easy education will be over. We are making a mistake by pushing back science education. Without knowledge of basic sciences no nation can make progress.
The government has a responsibility in making science education popular again with students. Cannot it offer 1,000 scholarships for science graduates for pursuing higher education both at home and abroad?
The writer is Professor of Economics, the University of Dhaka,
abuahmedecon@yahoo.com