Md. Bayazid Khan :
Realising the significance of applying latest modern educational methods our government has taken lots of new initiatives in country’s education system like developing text books considering revised suitable curriculum, using multimedia projector in teaching, introducing domain wise assessment tools for evaluating students’ performances etc. One of the major changes happened recently in the country’s education system is applying of competency based questioning in primary level and creative method questioning in secondary and higher education. But government’s heartfelt efforts towards developing country’s education system have been faded in some extent when irregularities and unethical activities happened during public examinations. Due to teachers’ carelessness and negligence in teaching-learning process in schools some students didn’t know the recently introduced competency base questioning or creative method questioning or they did insufficient practices of new method of examination techniques in schools. These students sought unethical help from outsiders during public examination. Because of teachers’ negligence of using domain base formative assessment techniques and presenting quality teaching in the classroom some students are being involved with irregularities only for getting success in the examination. On the other hand parents are not fully informed by the teachers and schools about the new methods of examinations. As a result some parents are also showing very much interest to the irregularities committed by dishonest persons during public examinations. If our teachers dispel all sorts of concerns about examinations procedure from students and parents, then these irregularities may be removed for ever. So teachers and educational institutions have the pivotal roles of developing students’ and parents’ confidences with the new methods of assessing students through public examinations.
A student should be assessed in all three domains like cognitive, affective, psychomotor to evaluate him/her properly whether he/she attained required competencies or not at the end of the cycle of a particular stage of education. Assessment is an important part of education system. Government is stressing more on summative assessment through applying creative method questioning. But to get effective desired results in the method of competency based questioning or creative method questioning, teachers should use the new concepts as formative assessment tools during classroom teaching-learning process. If students are evaluated regularly with domain based assessment tools in the classroom then our students could easily understand new method of questioning in public examinations. As a result it will definitely dispel all sorts of irregularities and unethical activities committed by teachers, students, parents and some dishonest persons during public examinations. But domain based assessment in regular teaching-learning process badly needs creative, qualified and inspired teachers as it is an important part of quality teaching. A creative teacher has subject based knowledge, ability of IT based teaching, capacity of using modern techniques of domain wise assessment and good skills of classroom management. With due respect to the teachers’ community we strongly feel absence of creativity, sincerity and above all quality in many of our teachers in performing their duties in the classroom. So ensuring quality teaching in the classroom is very much an urgent necessity at the government can never achieve the desired target of introducing competency based assessment in the public examinations.
Teaching is a noble and challenging profession. At the same time it is also an exhausting and demanding one. Though teaching is a tough, and stressful job, it is also an interesting and enjoyable profession as students really can be the most rewarding people to work with. Quality teaching and creative teacher are very much relevant and rational.
To ensure quality teaching a creative and inspired teacher badly needs to demonstrate a high level of professionalism in the performance of duties in the teaching-learning process. He/she should have the eagerness to know and accept new ideas on teaching methods and styles to develop him/her professionally. He/she needs to build confidence within his/her students so that they don’t have any concerns with the new concepts of questioning system. He/she should talk also with parents and other stakeholders to dispel all sorts of concern.
A creative teacher must apply all of his/her competences to clarify the topics to students as well as to demonstrate the easiest way of solving problems in the classroom. He/she applies formative assessment tools to evaluate students’ understanding and takes remedial measures to ensure equal learning for all students in the classroom. Students don’t need to go for private coaching.
Building creativeness within teachers should be a continuous process. There are so many factors to make our teachers creative, inspired and motivated. At first we have to appoint qualified teachers with brilliant academic backgrounds. There should not be any alternative in case of appointing teachers with brilliant academic results. If require appointment rules for government and non government teachers at all levels of education might be changed although existing procedures for appointing government primary school, high school and college teachers is quite satisfactory But this requires lucrative salary structure with other facilities and restoration of teachers’ lost social status and dignities compared to other department’s service holders. Secondly, teachers irrespective of public and private educational institutions should be provided with frequent similar types of training on teaching-learning methods, assessment techniques, classroom management, curriculum and IT based teaching for their professional development.
Thirdly, teachers’ performances should be supervised regularly by selected academic supervisors and they should be rewarded or punished considering supervision reports. Fourthly, private coaching and coaching business outside educational institutions must be prohibited by making laws in the parliament. Rather restricted arrangements of coaching may be encouraged at schools before or after scheduled timetable under monitoring by the institution’s authority. Fifthly, teacher-student ratio should be rationale and reasonable in a classroom with congenial student-friendly atmosphere so that teacher might be able to ensure all students’ equal learning in the classroom.
Once we had school houses made of bamboo, tin etc but output in view of making quality students was qualitative. But now a day our schools are well developed with students’ friendly environment, but output are very poor. The prime reason is absence of qualitative and creative teachers in schools. Due to poor quality of teaching some of the students never attain desired competencies and they are compelled to search shortcut ways of getting success in the public examinations. These help dishonest persons to commit unethical activities during public examinations.
Therefore educational institutions badly need creative and motivated teachers to make government plan of assessing students through creative method questioning a success. After ensuring teachers’ creativeness and sincerity in teaching-learning process, government may take punitive actions against dishonest persons responsible for unethical activities during public examinations.
An inspired teacher firmly believes that only he/she can bring quality changes in the teaching-learning activities in the classroom. An inspired teacher is valued and respected by students, parents and all sections of people in society. Everybody salutes their contribution and dedication to perform such a challenging and stressful work not for money but for building the future generation.
(The writer is working for primary education in Bangladesh, auparbayazidkhan @ gmail. com)
