Humanities group disappearing from many schools
Dolly Akter | Monday, 11 August 2008
IT was one of the happiest days in Mahin's life. The result of his Master's degree examination was published and he did well. Delighted, Mahin's parents thought their hard time was over as their son obtained the highest degree and would soon get a job to bring happiness and prosperity to their family. But that was not to be.
Mahin, the eldest in the family, tried heart and soul with his MA degree in Political Science to have a job but he could not manage one. So, his family continues to suffer. "Our son has obtained the highest degree of the land. We had thought he would get a job to pull us out of the misery," regrets Mahin's father Ashraf Ali.
Ali, his wife and three children live in a colony in Royerbagh area. Ashraf used to work in Adamjee Jute Mills. Since the closure of the country's largest jute mill a few years back, he remained unemployed. "It's really difficult for me to bear the education expenses of my three children," Ali says.
"This is the age of competition. Qualification cannot always ensure a job. Besides, my Master's degree is in Political Science, which couldn't help my cause in getting a job," a frustrated Mahin says.
He further says, "I even don't have the opportunity to work as a private tutor because guardians always look for science students. They think students with arts background won't be able to teach well. So, I've decided not to let my sister study humanities."
Mahin's sister, Salma, is a student of class eight. She says, "Though my brother was a very good student, he is not finding any job. Therefore, I've made up my mind that I'll study Commerce from class nine."
There is nothing unique in Salma's case. Many guardians are these days reluctant to let their children study arts for various reasons. Students are also unwilling to read humanities. As a result, the number of students in Arts group in schools is decreasing day by day.
The headmaster of Jatrabari Ideal School says 400 students got registered this year in class nine of his school and of them 275 are in Science group, I 10 in Business studies and only 15 in Arts group.
He says students have to read fewer books in science and commerce. The syllabus of commerce group is not as wide as of humanities. And on many occasions, Arts students do not get the expected results even after working hard. Therefore, students are becoming less interested in studying humanities.
A senior teacher of the same school says many guardians these days simply force their children to study science for practical reasons. But many talented students find science hard and ultimately fare badly in their examinations.
Syeeda Tahmina, an official at Dhaka Education Board, says the standard of education in Bangladesh is not good and there are problems in its system too. After doing well in arts, many young people just remain unemployed, leaving their parents frustrated.
A guardian, who is in Bangladesh Navy, says he will never let his children study humanities because he thinks less talented students usually study humanities. "There is no alternative to science if anyone wants to become a doctor or an engineer."
A senior teacher at Government Laboratory High School says only science education can prepare Bangladesh to face the challenges of the 2st century.
Ehsanul Kabir, headmaster of Agradoot Bidya Niketon High School, says today's kids want to secure good marks by studying less. "But an arts student has to study and memorise more."
He further says in his school out of 85 class nine students only one has been registered in arts group. "You can't provide separate teachers for just one student."
The assistant headmaster of the school feels sorry for the fact that arts group is gradually disappearing from schools. "We'll forget our history if arts group disappears. The country won't get good politicians and economists if this happens," he says.
A teacher of the University Laboratory School, Dhaka, says, if the arts group is to be discarded from secondary schools it will have to be done through a process. In this regard, he mentions the unified education system.
Will the arts teachers lose their jobs if arts group disappears?
A teacher says they are unlikely to lose jobs. "Instead, we'll be accommodated in other classes".
An arts teacher at Lalmatia High School says the standard of education will fall if the arts group does not have enough students.
Asked about it, former Dhaka Education Board chairman Professor Monirul Islam says if anyone wants to build himself in his own way at this competitive age everybody should be cooperative.
Another official of Dhaka Board says, "'Nowadays we've science everywhere. Look at the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) examinations. If you want to succeed, you need to know science because science and mathematics are compulsory here."
A senior official of the Education Ministry says, "Things are not that much bad. As far as I know the number of arts students in rural schools is still high. Many of them fare well in their exams. But they can't have higher education from good institutions for lack of opportunity.
There are many schools in the country where science cannot be taught for lack of laboratory facilities. "So, it's not right that arts group will disappear. However, in urban areas guardians are taking more interest in science due to competition," he says.
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Mahin, the eldest in the family, tried heart and soul with his MA degree in Political Science to have a job but he could not manage one. So, his family continues to suffer. "Our son has obtained the highest degree of the land. We had thought he would get a job to pull us out of the misery," regrets Mahin's father Ashraf Ali.
Ali, his wife and three children live in a colony in Royerbagh area. Ashraf used to work in Adamjee Jute Mills. Since the closure of the country's largest jute mill a few years back, he remained unemployed. "It's really difficult for me to bear the education expenses of my three children," Ali says.
"This is the age of competition. Qualification cannot always ensure a job. Besides, my Master's degree is in Political Science, which couldn't help my cause in getting a job," a frustrated Mahin says.
He further says, "I even don't have the opportunity to work as a private tutor because guardians always look for science students. They think students with arts background won't be able to teach well. So, I've decided not to let my sister study humanities."
Mahin's sister, Salma, is a student of class eight. She says, "Though my brother was a very good student, he is not finding any job. Therefore, I've made up my mind that I'll study Commerce from class nine."
There is nothing unique in Salma's case. Many guardians are these days reluctant to let their children study arts for various reasons. Students are also unwilling to read humanities. As a result, the number of students in Arts group in schools is decreasing day by day.
The headmaster of Jatrabari Ideal School says 400 students got registered this year in class nine of his school and of them 275 are in Science group, I 10 in Business studies and only 15 in Arts group.
He says students have to read fewer books in science and commerce. The syllabus of commerce group is not as wide as of humanities. And on many occasions, Arts students do not get the expected results even after working hard. Therefore, students are becoming less interested in studying humanities.
A senior teacher of the same school says many guardians these days simply force their children to study science for practical reasons. But many talented students find science hard and ultimately fare badly in their examinations.
Syeeda Tahmina, an official at Dhaka Education Board, says the standard of education in Bangladesh is not good and there are problems in its system too. After doing well in arts, many young people just remain unemployed, leaving their parents frustrated.
A guardian, who is in Bangladesh Navy, says he will never let his children study humanities because he thinks less talented students usually study humanities. "There is no alternative to science if anyone wants to become a doctor or an engineer."
A senior teacher at Government Laboratory High School says only science education can prepare Bangladesh to face the challenges of the 2st century.
Ehsanul Kabir, headmaster of Agradoot Bidya Niketon High School, says today's kids want to secure good marks by studying less. "But an arts student has to study and memorise more."
He further says in his school out of 85 class nine students only one has been registered in arts group. "You can't provide separate teachers for just one student."
The assistant headmaster of the school feels sorry for the fact that arts group is gradually disappearing from schools. "We'll forget our history if arts group disappears. The country won't get good politicians and economists if this happens," he says.
A teacher of the University Laboratory School, Dhaka, says, if the arts group is to be discarded from secondary schools it will have to be done through a process. In this regard, he mentions the unified education system.
Will the arts teachers lose their jobs if arts group disappears?
A teacher says they are unlikely to lose jobs. "Instead, we'll be accommodated in other classes".
An arts teacher at Lalmatia High School says the standard of education will fall if the arts group does not have enough students.
Asked about it, former Dhaka Education Board chairman Professor Monirul Islam says if anyone wants to build himself in his own way at this competitive age everybody should be cooperative.
Another official of Dhaka Board says, "'Nowadays we've science everywhere. Look at the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) examinations. If you want to succeed, you need to know science because science and mathematics are compulsory here."
A senior official of the Education Ministry says, "Things are not that much bad. As far as I know the number of arts students in rural schools is still high. Many of them fare well in their exams. But they can't have higher education from good institutions for lack of opportunity.
There are many schools in the country where science cannot be taught for lack of laboratory facilities. "So, it's not right that arts group will disappear. However, in urban areas guardians are taking more interest in science due to competition," he says.
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