BSS, Dhaka :
Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had engaged himself in building an inclusive education system considering the socio-economic and political state of the country during the post liberation period.
“Bangabandhu formed the National Education Commission for the first time on July 26, 1972 with foremost educationist and scientist Dr Qudrat-e-Khuda as chairman of the commission. He inaugurated activities of the commission on September 24 in the same year,” noted economist and Chairman of Dhaka School of Economics Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad told BSS. Bangabandhu had a dream of building an independent Bangladesh with proper education and morality, he said, adding that Bangabandhu, accordingly, formed the education commission which was able to build an educated, science-minded and merit-based society.
Kholiquzzaman, also Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) Chairman, said the commission that was familiar as ‘Qudrat-e-Khuda commission’ submitted its report to the government on May 30 in 1974 with recommendations for reorganising the country’s education system. He, however, said implementations of the recommendations of the report were delayed as anti liberation forces tried to destroy the country’s education system through assassination of Bangabandhu with his family members on August 15, 1975.
Kholiquzzaman, also co-chair of the Education Policy Formulation Committee formed in 2009, said the Qudrat-e-Khuda commission had emphasized on technical and stipend based education system in its report. According to the commission’s report, the primary education was suggested for 8 -years (Class 1 to Class VIII) duration while secondary education was 4-years’ duration, he said.
Later, in line with the Qudrat-e-Khuda commission, another Education Commission was formed in 2000 with National Professor Kabir Chowdhury as chairman that was popularly known as ‘Kabir Chowdhury Commission’, Kholiquzzaman added.
He said subsequently an Education Policy Formulation Committee was formed in 2009 with National Professor Kabir Chowdhury and him as the Chair and Co-chair respectively to formulate the Education Policy 2010. Based on Kabir Chowdhury commission, the committee formulated the Education Policy 2010 that was passed in the Bangladesh National Parliament on December 7 in 2010, he added.
In the Education Policy 2010, it was suggested extending the compulsory primary education up to 8 years (Class I to class- VIII) and providing compulsory primary education at free of cost, Kholiquzzaman said. The country’s education sector was changed immensely during the present government, he said, adding, but there are still some challenges in the sector.
He also underscored the need for formulating an education law, a permanent education commission and an accreditation council for further development of the sector.
Bangabandhu had a thought to take the country forward involving all, he said, adding that Bangabandhu sent the message through the historic 7 March speech in 1971.
The Education Policy 2010 can be termed as an inclusive education policy as in the policy it was clearly reflected that none would be lag behind, the eminent economist Kholiquzzaman said, adding, “We worked to bring all together. The initiatives of setting up schools were taken where no school was.”
As a result, 98 per cent students are coming to schools and school droop out rate was reduced to a great extend, he said.
Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had engaged himself in building an inclusive education system considering the socio-economic and political state of the country during the post liberation period.
“Bangabandhu formed the National Education Commission for the first time on July 26, 1972 with foremost educationist and scientist Dr Qudrat-e-Khuda as chairman of the commission. He inaugurated activities of the commission on September 24 in the same year,” noted economist and Chairman of Dhaka School of Economics Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad told BSS. Bangabandhu had a dream of building an independent Bangladesh with proper education and morality, he said, adding that Bangabandhu, accordingly, formed the education commission which was able to build an educated, science-minded and merit-based society.
Kholiquzzaman, also Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) Chairman, said the commission that was familiar as ‘Qudrat-e-Khuda commission’ submitted its report to the government on May 30 in 1974 with recommendations for reorganising the country’s education system. He, however, said implementations of the recommendations of the report were delayed as anti liberation forces tried to destroy the country’s education system through assassination of Bangabandhu with his family members on August 15, 1975.
Kholiquzzaman, also co-chair of the Education Policy Formulation Committee formed in 2009, said the Qudrat-e-Khuda commission had emphasized on technical and stipend based education system in its report. According to the commission’s report, the primary education was suggested for 8 -years (Class 1 to Class VIII) duration while secondary education was 4-years’ duration, he said.
Later, in line with the Qudrat-e-Khuda commission, another Education Commission was formed in 2000 with National Professor Kabir Chowdhury as chairman that was popularly known as ‘Kabir Chowdhury Commission’, Kholiquzzaman added.
He said subsequently an Education Policy Formulation Committee was formed in 2009 with National Professor Kabir Chowdhury and him as the Chair and Co-chair respectively to formulate the Education Policy 2010. Based on Kabir Chowdhury commission, the committee formulated the Education Policy 2010 that was passed in the Bangladesh National Parliament on December 7 in 2010, he added.
In the Education Policy 2010, it was suggested extending the compulsory primary education up to 8 years (Class I to class- VIII) and providing compulsory primary education at free of cost, Kholiquzzaman said. The country’s education sector was changed immensely during the present government, he said, adding, but there are still some challenges in the sector.
He also underscored the need for formulating an education law, a permanent education commission and an accreditation council for further development of the sector.
Bangabandhu had a thought to take the country forward involving all, he said, adding that Bangabandhu sent the message through the historic 7 March speech in 1971.
The Education Policy 2010 can be termed as an inclusive education policy as in the policy it was clearly reflected that none would be lag behind, the eminent economist Kholiquzzaman said, adding, “We worked to bring all together. The initiatives of setting up schools were taken where no school was.”
As a result, 98 per cent students are coming to schools and school droop out rate was reduced to a great extend, he said.
