Prof. Dr. Md. Mahmudul Hassan :
In 1789, the English poet William Blake wrote a poem called ‘The School Boy’. The boy was choked in the suffocating atmosphere of the school. He felt unhappy with the harsh and unhappy teaching of the teachers. He wanted to enjoy the song of birds in every tree on a summer morning outside the school. He begged his parents to rescue him from that school bondage. Standing at the end of 2021, we still hear the echo of the students’ pitiful pleas in Blake’s poem. The boy is basically the symbolic form of our children. Getting an education is a fundamental right of every child and this education must be through joy. And under that joy there will be attraction. The student needs to be awakened to the dream that he will not fall asleep. In reality, we will move forward on the path of that dream.
In our country, taking exams is a very common practice in the education system. Students have to face a strange kind of admission test before they are admitted to the school. Otherwise, no student can be admitted in any class. This trend continues in all levels of education in Bangladesh. It is good to have a merit assessment of students but if it is done in a certain format then it can create a kind of phobia in the mind of students. Education should be to give joy to the students.
As per the education system of Bangladesh, education through pleasure is not included in pre-primary to higher secondary education. Primary school education starts from class one or standard one. Before enrolling in this class, the children have to study and go to participate in the admission test. At the inaugural function of National Primary Education Week-2019, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed her excitement and said, “Children will go to school first and learn through joy. They will not fall in advance. They will go to school as soon as they learn to read.”
The subject of teaching through joy is absent in the primary curriculum but there is a huge burden of exams. Since the beginning of the final examination in 2009, the children’s fairytale childhood has been strangled to death. Along with the original book, a guide book ceremony was seen on their reading table. The mothers started running to the coaching center with their children. The fact that a ten-year-old child is taking part in a board exam – the issue is putting so much pressure on the family and the child – has not been taken into account by anyone involved in education. Not only in class five but also in class eight, junior school certificate examination has been started since 2010. As a result, the children grew up in fear of exams. The birthright of a child to have a reliant and joyful childhood has been twisted.
Nothing will ever bring back a lost childhood in a child’s life. Creative methods have been introduced in secondary education since 2007 and Primary since 2012 with the aim of ending memorization based education. It was said that by practicing this method the students would go a long way in knowledge and skills. In reality, nothing much has happened. In many cases teachers did not understand this method properly. But the booksellers have done a very good business. The coaching center was also in full swing.
Students outside the family first face socialization in school. The role of the teacher is the main one there. Teachers need to be kind, caring and student-friendly. Above all, the teacher must have unconditional love for the student. The teacher must have sufficient knowledge of the subject to be taught. Besides, the teacher’s own life should be dependable and joyful. In this case, talented and young people should be encouraged to come into the teaching profession. The issue of increasing their financial well-being and social status is very relevant. It is very important to gain experience in this regard from the advanced education system.
In the new curriculum, assessment is given more importance than examination – this is certainly commendable. What could be more enjoyable than learning through co-curricular activities? Naturally, the question arises whether the curriculum will be conducted under the supervision of the teachers with their knowledge, skills, and mentality. Transparency and fidelity are also important in the continuous assessment of students through co-curricular activities. In that case, the government needs to ensure, among other things, the place of trust and objectivity through specific policies. Whatever the subject of co-educational activities, the learning process of the student should be done with joy. Co-curricular activities will inspire a student to be curious, creative and develop his or her intelligence properly.
Despite the conflict with the education policy formulated in 2010, the new curriculum announced by the government has to be called a great initiative. But without involving the expert teachers who are directly experienced in teaching at the school and college level, if only university teachers prepare the curriculum and books, will it be possible for the government to reach the sacred goal of establishing an education method where students can learn through joy and happiness? I believe, school and college teachers can share their effective ideas to compose quality, up-to-date and student-friendly textbooks for a beautiful education system in Bangladesh. Finally, the education has to be ever joyful, delectable, pleasant and very lovely.
(Dr. Mahmudul Hassan is Principal, Daffodil International School).
