Why we need area-based schooling system

The education system in Bangladesh has gone through endless experiments. Unfortunately, four decades after the independence of the country even our primary education system is not following any coordinated schooling model. Diverse schooling systems - Bangla and English mediums, and those based on madrassa, kindergarten, NGO and other types of curricula are being run in a disordered and undisciplined way in the country.  Class-discrimination and socially biased attitudes are becoming acute day by day due to differences in schooling systems and their curricula. As a result, schools are hardly capable of fulfilling our national desires and expectations. The book, originally titled Elakabhittik Schooling (Area-based Schooling) presents an alternative schooling model which could provide a well-coordinated solution to diverse problems including coping with traffic jams, wastage of resources-labour-time, drawbacks in fundamental education, dropout trends, social discrimination etc.
The writer draws our attention to diverse problems and faults in the present school education system of Bangladesh. When it comes to big cities, going to school by students from one area to a distant locality turns out to be a major problem, as children lose their energy on being stuck in traffic jams on their way to school in another area. It also occurs when they return home. It is a common sight in Dhaka city that inhabitants of Gulshan, Banani, Mirpur or Uttara admit their children to schools at Siddheshwari or Dhanmondi. Again, students from Siddheshwari or Dhanmondi areas go to schools in Gulshan or Mirpur areas. Consequently, valuable time and energy of the students and their guardians, as well as money, are being wasted in travelling to and from schools. Eventually it emerges as a huge national loss. Moreover, in many cases the mothers of children have to spend hours on school premises or in nearby areas until classes end to take the boys or girls home. The writer of the book finds it to be a critical point to ponder that if a mother remains regularly alienated from home for such long hours, she would not get much time and strength for her other children or for household chores. This is not only a loss to the family but also a huge wastage of resources of the nation. Local leaders and influential people may not feel any interest for the development of schools in their own areas since their children may be studying at schools in the other localities.
In the area-based schooling system, the establishment of an educational institution as well as its expansion will be centred round the area. Teachers are required to be responsible for bringing students to schools and take them back to residences. No transportation would be needed for students to commute to school from home; as a result there will be no traffic jam and no risks of road accidents. Wastage of time and energy of parents and students would be lessened, if this schooling is introduced. The author of the book believes that under this system guardians will become serious for the effective running of local schools for the sake of their offspring. The trend of dropping out of schools will see a remarkable decline, he feels. The same will also be the case with crimes relating to teasing, bullying and drug addiction among adolescent students. Gradually these menaces will disappear. Since discrimination in education would be cut down, social biases will also be decreased under the area-based system. In the book, the author discusses how to materialise the 'area-based schooling' system. In order to put the concept to practice, no large entrepreneurial initiative will be required, nor do the persons concerned have to undertake reforms in the prevailing system. What is needed is the strong resolve of policy makers of the government. In this regard, we could follow the UK or the other developed countries.
Proper rearing of children and sharpening of their talent are not possible by keeping them trapped in noisy traffic gridlocks, and hazes of smoke and dust in the street. To build skilled citizens and have a talented nation, our schooling system needs to be restructured. In this perspective, the 'area-based schooling' could be an ideal model. The author of the book deserves appreciation for his tireless efforts in producing this well-thought-out work. A dedicated social organiser, the author is the founder-chief editor and publisher of The University Campus, the first-ever newspaper on education and youth development in Bangladesh. It has been published regularly since 1984. The author is also the founder-secretary general of Campus Social Development Centre (CSDC), a multidimensional welfare organisation dealing with youth development and the knowledge-based just society.      
The writer is an independent researcher.
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Elakabhittik Schooling
(Area-based Schooling)
By M Helal
Published by Campus Social Development Centre
[CSDC], 2013
ISBN: 978-984-33-1645-5