M M Jasim :
Realisation of extra money from the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinees by the school authorities in the name of extra ‘coaching’ classes before and after the test examinations has triggered outrage amongst the guardians in capital Dhaka as elsewhere across the country.
There are widespread allegations that members of the school management committees as well as the teachers in liaison with each other have been collecting Tk 20,000 to 22,000 from each of the student in the name of coaching classes, tuition, farewell party and school development.
As reported, the government and non-government school authorities across the country have been collecting this huge money from the students in the name of coaching after the test exams. It is nothing but extortion by teachers, although they are covered by the government pay scale, some guardians alleged.
The teachers are reluctant to take regular classes throughout the year. They eagerly wait for the last moment of test examinations. Sometimes they allegedly give poor marks to students and thereby compelled them to attend the so-called coaching classes.
The school authorities and teachers forced the guardians to pay the extra money without taking into consideration their financial condition. This puts them in severe economic hardships. And to arrange the money, many of the guardians have to undergo enormous financial constraints. Even they are forced to borrow money from local loan sharks to meet this unavoidable problem.
Meanwhile, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid has termed taking of extra money by the school authorities in the name of coaching as illogical and immoral. The institutions which build the future generation cannot get them involved with such illegal money making system.
“We always discourage coaching and take action against teachers are involved in coaching business. We are against coaching practice and conduct awareness programmes to discourage the coaching business in the country. We will definitely take stern action if we get any complaint from the students and the guardians,” Nahid said.
Shihab (not real name), an SSC examinee of Tajek Prodhan High School in Narayangonj, told The New Nation yesterday that the authorities of his school have fixed Tk 3,000 for coaching after test examination. The authorities told them to give the money in time, otherwise they will miss many facilities, he said.
“We requested the school authorities, especially the headmaster, to reduce some money, but he refused. We have also taken all the preparations to take part in the test examination and final examination without doing coaching. But the authorities directed us that it is the mandatory for all students,” Shihab said.
Headmaster of Tajek Prodhan High School Salauddin Ahmed admitted the matter and said they decided to take extra classes after test examination by taking some money.
He said this was not huge amount of money. The teachers will take classes and the money just for their ‘breakfast’ !
In some cases, teachers misbehave with those who do not attend coaching classes. Majority of the teachers teach English, mathematics and science subjects.
The teachers of Motijheel Ideal School and College ,Viqarunnisa Noon School and College, Monipur High School and College at Mirpur, RAJUK Uttara Model High School and College, Government Laboratory High School, Dhanmondi Government Boys’ High School, Motijheel Government Boys’ High School, Motijheel Government Girls’ High School, Motijheel Model High School and College, Hazrat Shah Ali School at Mirpur, Ideal College at Dhanmondi, Government Biggan College at Tejgaon and more schools in the city made the coaching mandatory for the students.
Similar news of taking extra money from students was also reported from different schools of Kamrangirchar area. The schools include Ashrafabad High School, Nurjahan Begum High School and Wajuddin High School.
M Abdul Salam, a teacher of Motijheel Ideal School, said: “I see no wrong with private coaching as the weaker students come to us. The salary we get is not sufficient. The physicians of government hospitals are engaged in private practice, so why not teachers?”
Shahnara Begum, Principal of Motijheel Model School and College, however, said they did not take any decision in this regard yet. We do not give any pressure to do coaching.
She, however, said: “For better results in the public exams, our students are given coaching after class hours inside the campus and students have to pay to the school for this.”
