Government primary schools can hardly attract children of middle class families
Saturday, 6 October 2007
Rawnak Abid
EVEN though Ruby Akhter finds it difficult to run her family with the small income of her CNG mechanic husband, she dreams of a bright future for her son. Though free, she does not like to send her kid to any government primary school.
Despite the hardship, the poor couple got their son Mohammad Yasin, 8, admitted into a private primary school. They feel private schools offer better education than government ones.
"We've chosen the private school so that our son can have a better education," says Ruby, a resident of Dhaka City's Nayatola area. "There is no good academic environment in government schools. Teachers are not attentive to their pupils and they are less qualified than those at private schools."
This couple is not alone. There are many parents who would agree with them. A guardian of Yasin's classmate says, "If you want your child to have a better education, government school is not the right place. The standard of education is not good over there. This is the age of competition, but there is no competition in government schools."
He goes on: "Government school teachers are not sincere in their classes. Most of the guardians of government primary school students are illiterate. So, teachers can afford not to have any accountability. But, things are different in private schools. They are attentive to their pupils lest they lose their reputation. When it comes to English, they offer much better education."
While visiting some government primary schools in the capital, it was found that the environment in most of the schools is dirty and unhealthy. The number of toilets for the students is inadequate and they are dirty. Even, there are hardly any facilities for sports.
Official statistics show that there are 240 government primary schools in Dhaka while the number of private primary schools stands at about 1,500. According to information received from the Bangladesh Kindergarten Association, 90 per cent of Class I students in the capital are in private schools.
Rehana Begum, acting head teacher of Nayatola Government Primary School, does not agree with the notion that private schools provide better education. "It's like a fashion to send children to private schools. Compared to the education offered by mushrooming private schools, the education in government ones is much better."
Why are the children of lower middle class families unwilling to go to government schools? Some teachers say, "The government itself is mainly responsible for this as government high schools get much more its attention than the primary ones."
Rehana Begum says, "Government fund for a primary school is not enough to run it properly. There is no guard or peon in a school. There is always a lack of teachers. Besides, there is a new rule that classrooms and toilets have to be cleaned by the students of Class V."
She questions whether the teachers will remain busy cleaning up classrooms and toilets by the students or concentrate on teaching. "There is nothing like that in private schools. They are very flashy."
Government primary schools are public property. Everyone has equal right over there.
Although these schools have been set up with public money, few children go there. Despite the opportunity to get free education, peo
EVEN though Ruby Akhter finds it difficult to run her family with the small income of her CNG mechanic husband, she dreams of a bright future for her son. Though free, she does not like to send her kid to any government primary school.
Despite the hardship, the poor couple got their son Mohammad Yasin, 8, admitted into a private primary school. They feel private schools offer better education than government ones.
"We've chosen the private school so that our son can have a better education," says Ruby, a resident of Dhaka City's Nayatola area. "There is no good academic environment in government schools. Teachers are not attentive to their pupils and they are less qualified than those at private schools."
This couple is not alone. There are many parents who would agree with them. A guardian of Yasin's classmate says, "If you want your child to have a better education, government school is not the right place. The standard of education is not good over there. This is the age of competition, but there is no competition in government schools."
He goes on: "Government school teachers are not sincere in their classes. Most of the guardians of government primary school students are illiterate. So, teachers can afford not to have any accountability. But, things are different in private schools. They are attentive to their pupils lest they lose their reputation. When it comes to English, they offer much better education."
While visiting some government primary schools in the capital, it was found that the environment in most of the schools is dirty and unhealthy. The number of toilets for the students is inadequate and they are dirty. Even, there are hardly any facilities for sports.
Official statistics show that there are 240 government primary schools in Dhaka while the number of private primary schools stands at about 1,500. According to information received from the Bangladesh Kindergarten Association, 90 per cent of Class I students in the capital are in private schools.
Rehana Begum, acting head teacher of Nayatola Government Primary School, does not agree with the notion that private schools provide better education. "It's like a fashion to send children to private schools. Compared to the education offered by mushrooming private schools, the education in government ones is much better."
Why are the children of lower middle class families unwilling to go to government schools? Some teachers say, "The government itself is mainly responsible for this as government high schools get much more its attention than the primary ones."
Rehana Begum says, "Government fund for a primary school is not enough to run it properly. There is no guard or peon in a school. There is always a lack of teachers. Besides, there is a new rule that classrooms and toilets have to be cleaned by the students of Class V."
She questions whether the teachers will remain busy cleaning up classrooms and toilets by the students or concentrate on teaching. "There is nothing like that in private schools. They are very flashy."
Government primary schools are public property. Everyone has equal right over there.
Although these schools have been set up with public money, few children go there. Despite the opportunity to get free education, peo