Education is treated as the backbone of a nation. It is the most powerful means of achieving sustainable and meaningful development.
The government of Bangladesh places great importance on education and has been trying to transform its huge population into human resources. With the intention of quality education many changes and development have been taken place at different levels. But the education system of Bangladesh cannot provide the students with quality education satisfactorily even after studying a long period of time.
The insider writers who have experience on different fields of education always try to develop, revise and change the education system for ensuring quality education over the country. Sheikh Shahbaz Riad, Associate Professor of Education, Govt. Teachers’ Training College, Dhaka is one of them. He has impressive national and international credentials as a secondary teacher, teacher educator, curriculum developer, textbook writer and researcher with ongoing parental experience of what Bangladesh schools deliver. He has published several books on education. ‘Expected Education’ is one of them which makes much impression of the concerned authority of education.
The publication ceremony of Expected Education was held on 19th June, 2017 at Govt Teachers Training College, Dhaka. Professor Kaniz Sayeda Benta Sabah, Principal, Govt. TTC, Dhaka presided over the function. Dr Mohammad Ali khan, NDC, poet and researcher (Additional Secretary) was the chief guest, Dr John Dewar Wilson, International Pre-service Teacher Training Specialist, TQI-II was the guest of honour and Ranjit Podder, Associate Professor of English, Govt. TTC, Dhaka as the discussant was present in the function. ‘Expected Education’ is a book by Shahbaz Riad containing 15 selected articles published in different English dailies on different issues of Bangladesh education.
The Foreword of the book has been written by Dr. John Dewar Wilson, formerly Professor of Education, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia. In his writing, he said, combining international perspective with insider knowledge, ‘Expected Education’ casts an informed and critical eye on contemporary Bangladesh education practice. Riad’s questioning of such taken for-granted arrangements as school year structures should jolt policy makers and promote discussion and research: change would be low-cost and could transform quality of learning environments for teachers and pupils. The writer of the book also brings comparative perspective on teacher education and illuminates a field of entrenched traditional thinking that limits international efforts to develop Bangladesh teachers’ professionalism, skills and contemporary outlook to enhance their sense of self-efficacy.
In the Preface of the book, the writer said, with the intention of quality education the government of Bangladesh has taken many changes and development at different levels. Introducing student-centred participatory teaching-learning, expansion of class time duration and integration of ICT in classroom activities are some of the key endeavours. However we are not happy enough to think that all the endeavours are going on in the right and expected direction. Still ‘quality education’ is a great issue though the percentage of pass rate, GPA-5 obtaining rate, the increasing number of 100% pass institutions and decreasing trend of 0 pass institutions. But we should keep in our mind that our national aim of education is not only to make every individual knowledgeable, but also to make them capable physically, intellectually, emotionally, socially and spiritually. As a teacher educator, classroom monitor and curriculum developer I have opportunities to have close look at the in-side of our education system. I have some observations in respect of our curriculum, assessment system, examination system, value education, class routine, utilization working days and academic year. ‘Expected Education’ is the reflection of my collective thoughts those published in different English dailies as articles for the last few years.
In his writing, he emphasized on changing the duration of academic year and working days for our schools. He said, in Bangladesh academic or school year of primary and secondary level are from January to December and follow the semester system. Most of the public universities follow yearly system and most of the private universities follow trimester system using spring, summer and fall. In consideration of weather October to March is the best period of the year. Learners and teachers get more energy and feel healthy than summer. These six months are also most friendly time to conduct classes and other academic activities with enthusiasm and concentration. But in our present academic year, November to March is mostly used as a season of sports, admission and book distribution.
National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) recommends 220 working days per year. It includes all kinds of teaching-learning activities like admission, book distribution, class activities and three internal examinations. As a result, actual class days in our secondary schools are at best 180-185days (deducting 85 govt. holidays, +52 Fridays, +45 days for exams).
Moreover, schools are used as a centre of public examinations like JSC, SSC and HSC where 30 to 35 days are fixed. As a result, students are not only depending on schools; rather they are much relying on coaching and private tuitions. It will be better if we can conduct two exams every academic year within 20 days then we can get more 25 to 30 days class every year. Instead of first term exam we can more emphasise on class test and assignment which make teachers and students active for the year long. Therefore, if we rearrange our academic year as July l to June30, we will be able to utilize the best seasons of the year for teaching-learning activities and class days.
He also emphasized on the value of education at secondary level. He said, in today’s society education is deeply synonymous with competition, examination, result, grading, position, degree, certificate, employment, earnings and establishment instead of emancipation, enlightenment, illumination and development. As a result, every year we are getting thousands of students with GPA-5, but we cannot say all of them are creative enough to do something, committed to do good for the society and nation. This is because our present evaluation system is only for measuring students’ development, not for their affective and psychomotor development which expresses their creativity, innovativeness, morals and values.
The writings of the book cover a wide area of education sector and address various issues related to the education system of Bangladesh such as curriculum and its dissemination, quality of education, cultivation of humanism in schools and colleges, participatory approaches, primary schooling, teacher training, evaluation system, class routine, yearly working days and so on. The writings of the book are contemporary and expressed clearly. I am sure this book will help the concerned authority of education to review the curriculum and education system of Bangladesh. It will also help the teachers and researchers to get some clues for better teaching and further research. I wish ‘Expected Education’ a successful journey. n
The government of Bangladesh places great importance on education and has been trying to transform its huge population into human resources. With the intention of quality education many changes and development have been taken place at different levels. But the education system of Bangladesh cannot provide the students with quality education satisfactorily even after studying a long period of time.
The insider writers who have experience on different fields of education always try to develop, revise and change the education system for ensuring quality education over the country. Sheikh Shahbaz Riad, Associate Professor of Education, Govt. Teachers’ Training College, Dhaka is one of them. He has impressive national and international credentials as a secondary teacher, teacher educator, curriculum developer, textbook writer and researcher with ongoing parental experience of what Bangladesh schools deliver. He has published several books on education. ‘Expected Education’ is one of them which makes much impression of the concerned authority of education.
The publication ceremony of Expected Education was held on 19th June, 2017 at Govt Teachers Training College, Dhaka. Professor Kaniz Sayeda Benta Sabah, Principal, Govt. TTC, Dhaka presided over the function. Dr Mohammad Ali khan, NDC, poet and researcher (Additional Secretary) was the chief guest, Dr John Dewar Wilson, International Pre-service Teacher Training Specialist, TQI-II was the guest of honour and Ranjit Podder, Associate Professor of English, Govt. TTC, Dhaka as the discussant was present in the function. ‘Expected Education’ is a book by Shahbaz Riad containing 15 selected articles published in different English dailies on different issues of Bangladesh education.
The Foreword of the book has been written by Dr. John Dewar Wilson, formerly Professor of Education, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia. In his writing, he said, combining international perspective with insider knowledge, ‘Expected Education’ casts an informed and critical eye on contemporary Bangladesh education practice. Riad’s questioning of such taken for-granted arrangements as school year structures should jolt policy makers and promote discussion and research: change would be low-cost and could transform quality of learning environments for teachers and pupils. The writer of the book also brings comparative perspective on teacher education and illuminates a field of entrenched traditional thinking that limits international efforts to develop Bangladesh teachers’ professionalism, skills and contemporary outlook to enhance their sense of self-efficacy.
In the Preface of the book, the writer said, with the intention of quality education the government of Bangladesh has taken many changes and development at different levels. Introducing student-centred participatory teaching-learning, expansion of class time duration and integration of ICT in classroom activities are some of the key endeavours. However we are not happy enough to think that all the endeavours are going on in the right and expected direction. Still ‘quality education’ is a great issue though the percentage of pass rate, GPA-5 obtaining rate, the increasing number of 100% pass institutions and decreasing trend of 0 pass institutions. But we should keep in our mind that our national aim of education is not only to make every individual knowledgeable, but also to make them capable physically, intellectually, emotionally, socially and spiritually. As a teacher educator, classroom monitor and curriculum developer I have opportunities to have close look at the in-side of our education system. I have some observations in respect of our curriculum, assessment system, examination system, value education, class routine, utilization working days and academic year. ‘Expected Education’ is the reflection of my collective thoughts those published in different English dailies as articles for the last few years.
In his writing, he emphasized on changing the duration of academic year and working days for our schools. He said, in Bangladesh academic or school year of primary and secondary level are from January to December and follow the semester system. Most of the public universities follow yearly system and most of the private universities follow trimester system using spring, summer and fall. In consideration of weather October to March is the best period of the year. Learners and teachers get more energy and feel healthy than summer. These six months are also most friendly time to conduct classes and other academic activities with enthusiasm and concentration. But in our present academic year, November to March is mostly used as a season of sports, admission and book distribution.
National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) recommends 220 working days per year. It includes all kinds of teaching-learning activities like admission, book distribution, class activities and three internal examinations. As a result, actual class days in our secondary schools are at best 180-185days (deducting 85 govt. holidays, +52 Fridays, +45 days for exams).
Moreover, schools are used as a centre of public examinations like JSC, SSC and HSC where 30 to 35 days are fixed. As a result, students are not only depending on schools; rather they are much relying on coaching and private tuitions. It will be better if we can conduct two exams every academic year within 20 days then we can get more 25 to 30 days class every year. Instead of first term exam we can more emphasise on class test and assignment which make teachers and students active for the year long. Therefore, if we rearrange our academic year as July l to June30, we will be able to utilize the best seasons of the year for teaching-learning activities and class days.
He also emphasized on the value of education at secondary level. He said, in today’s society education is deeply synonymous with competition, examination, result, grading, position, degree, certificate, employment, earnings and establishment instead of emancipation, enlightenment, illumination and development. As a result, every year we are getting thousands of students with GPA-5, but we cannot say all of them are creative enough to do something, committed to do good for the society and nation. This is because our present evaluation system is only for measuring students’ development, not for their affective and psychomotor development which expresses their creativity, innovativeness, morals and values.
The writings of the book cover a wide area of education sector and address various issues related to the education system of Bangladesh such as curriculum and its dissemination, quality of education, cultivation of humanism in schools and colleges, participatory approaches, primary schooling, teacher training, evaluation system, class routine, yearly working days and so on. The writings of the book are contemporary and expressed clearly. I am sure this book will help the concerned authority of education to review the curriculum and education system of Bangladesh. It will also help the teachers and researchers to get some clues for better teaching and further research. I wish ‘Expected Education’ a successful journey. n
Reviewer: Touhid Ebrahim
