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PROPOSED EDUCATION POLICY
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Draft
1.0 Introduction
In
Bangladesh, the key to achieving high rates of economic growth
and at the same time ensuring that the fruits of economic growth
are equitably shared by her population lies in development and
utilisation of her human resources, the only resource Bangladesh
has in abundance. Education therefore has been recognised as a
priority sector by all governments since her independence. What
follows is a brief review of the education sector in Bangladesh
as at present with a view to identifying key issues that need to
be addressed, presented in Section 2. Section 3 highlights the
key issues as identified by the Task Force. Section 4 presents a
set of policy recommendations put forward by the Task Force for
implementation during the five year term of the next elected
Government.
2.0 Education Sector in Bangladesh: A Review
The review has been organised as follows. After introducing the
overall structure of the education system in Bangladesh profiles
of the individual components of the education sector have been
drawn focusing on their respective size, overall performance,
and the constraints faced with a view to finding ways and means
for relaxing the same. In drawing the above profiles official
data sources have primarily been used, supplemented where
necessary by other sources.
2.1 The Education Sector of
Bangladesh: Structure,
Management and Budgeting.
2.1.1 Structure:
The
education system in Bangladesh is characterised by co-existence
of three separate streams. The mainstream happens to be a
vernacular based secular education system carried over from the
colonial past. There also exists a separate religious system of
education. Finally, based on use of English as the medium of
instruction, another stream of education, modelled after the
British education system, using the same curriculum, has rapidly
grown in the metropolitan cities of Bangladesh.
However diverse the above streams may apparently look, they have
certain common elements, and there exists scope for
re-integration of graduates of one stream with the other at
different levels.
The
mainstream education system in Bangladesh is structured as
follows: -
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One or two year
pre-primary education imparted in private
schools/kindergartens, and informally in government primary
schools for six months.
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Five-year compulsory primary education
for the 6-10 year age group, imparted mainly in government and
non-government primary schools. In metropolitan cities,
however, government and non-government primary schools cater
to the educational needs only of the poorer sections of the
people, as the better-off families usually send their children
to Private English Medium schools/ secondary schools that run
primary sections as well. There, however, exist a substantial
number of NGO run non-formal schools catering mainly for the
drop- outs of the government and non-government primary
schools. Very few NGOs however impart education for the full
5-year primary education cycle. Because of that, on completion
of their 2-3 year non-formal primary education in NGO run
schools, students normally re-enter into government/
non-government primary schools at higher classes. NGO run
schools differ from other non-government private schools.
While the private schools operate like private enterprises
often guided by commercial interests, NGO schools operate
mainly in areas not served either by the government or private
schools essentially to meet the educational needs of
vulnerable groups in the society. They usually follow an
informal approach to suit the special needs of children from
the vulnerable groups.
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On completion of
primary education, students (11+) enrol for junior secondary
education that spans over 3 years. At the end of this phase of
education, some students branch out to join the vocational
stream, offered at Vocational Training Institutes (VTI) and
Technical Training Centres (TTC) run by the Ministry of
Education, and the Ministry of Labour and Employment
respectively, while students in the mainstream continue in
government and non-government secondary schools for a 2 year
secondary education in their respective areas of
specialisation i.e. humanities, science, commerce, etc. At the
end of their secondary education, the students sit for their
first public examination (S.S.C.) under the supervision of six
education boards.
The students of religious education and English medium streams
also sit for their respective public examinations, Dakhil, and
O level, conducted by the Madrasah Education Board, and
London/Cambridge University respectively, facilitated by the
British Council in case of the latter.
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After 10 years of
schooling at primary and secondary level, students (16+) who
succeed in passing the Secondary School Certificate (S.S.C.)
examination have the option of joining a college for a 2 year
higher secondary education in their respective areas of
specialisation, or enrol in technical/ poly technical
institutes for technical education. After 2-year higher
secondary education, one has to sit for another public
examination called Higher Secondary Certificate (H.S.C.)
Examination conducted by the Education Boards to qualify for
further education. Students of Religious and English Medium
streams also sit for their respective public examinations,
Alim, and 'A' level, conducted by the Madrasah Education Board
and London/Cambridge University respectively to qualify for
further education.
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Under-graduate education of various duration (2 to 4 years)
are offered to 18+ students at a number of public and private
universities / degree colleges/technical colleges/ specialised
institutions. Successful completion of a degree course is a
pre-requisite for appointment to a white-collar civilian job.
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Post-graduate education normally of 1-2 year duration is
provided at universities and selected degree colleges and
institutions.
Full Policy in PDF Format:
Download (92.5 KB)
Source:
Election 2001 : National Policy Forum
(Dhaka: 20-22
August, 2001)
Organized by:
Centre for Policy Dialogue,
Prothom Alo, The Daily Star |