Are students getting quality education?

LAST year a total of 93 per cent students were successful in JSC-JDC examination while 98 per cent passed the primary level exam. These are good news for all of us and we can genuinely feel proud of such results.
But the question that is bothering us is whether these students are getting quality education.  A lot of discussions about our curriculum and method of teaching are going around for quite some time and many believe that quality education is lacking in the country. Educationists and guardians of the students are of the view that children are unnecessarily being loaded with extra subjects and excessive home work that keep them unduly engaged for a long time during the day. With this excessive load, quality becomes a matter of secondary importance. Although the number of students passing out annually is increasing, but the standard of education is not improving. It is a matter of regret that a large number of teachers in Bangladesh are employed in schools and colleges without having minimum required education and training. As a result, the students have to fall back on guide books and coaching centres. In this way, they are deprived of quality education from an early age. In the circumstances, priority should be given to technical education with emphasis on practical training. Dependency on guide books and coaching centres should be avoided. The Education Ministry should come forward to take necessary steps to increase  quality education by improving our education system and giving opportunity of proper training to the teachers.
Toufik Ahmed
Department of International Relations
Rajshahi University
[email protected]