About 77.8 per cent students of the country's primary schools buy guidebooks while 68 per cent students take help from coaching centres to mitigate their academic needs, a study has revealed.
The report which was launched on Thursday in the capital also says that school teachers largely influence the students to buy such books with the hope of getting desired results in examinations.
Sushashoner Jonno Procharavizan (SUPRO), a national network of grassroots NGOs in Bangladesh, working to establish economic, social and cultural rights of poor and marginalised people, conducted the field study on 'Social Audit 2014 on Government Primary Education'.
According to the study, about 78.3 per cent kids of primary stage believe such books are helpful for serving their academic purpose, while 17.5 per cent students think those are unnecessary for them.
The study also found coaching-based schooling very popular across the country and 66 per cent teachers think such coaching-based schooling helpful for the students aspiring to get quality education.
"Some 56.3 per cent students take part in coaching to get prepared for the primary terminal examinations," the study said adding that 29.6 per cent students get enrolled in coaching as they are weak in different subjects.
The SUPRO conducted the survey over some selected schools under 12 districts. It also took feedback from the related government and non-government officials to prepare the social audit report.
In the report, it also placed a set of recommendations including taking measures to put an end to burgeoning coaching-based edification by facilitating classroom-based schooling.
It also laid emphasis on launching massive campaigns among students and their guardians about the negative impact of following guide books and coaching-based schooling.
The study identified that the government's stipend and school feeding programmes were very useful. It suggested that the government should increase the existing amount and expand the feeding programmes, which largely contribute to check the dropout rate.
Member of the National Education Policy 2010 Committee Quazi Faruk Ahmed said students' dependence on such guidebooks and coaching indicates teachers' failure to make the students understand the topics in their classrooms.
"This may have happened because teachers themselves do not understand the syllabus and newly introduced creative method," the policymaker said.
He also underscored the need for ensuring proper coordination and sharing of information among the practicing non-government and government entities to get desired outcomes from study.
Director of the Institute of Disaster Management and Vulnerability Studies of Dhaka University Prof Mahbuba Nasreen and SUPRO director Alison Subrata Baroi, among others, addressed the function.
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