Alaul Alam :
The economy of Bangladesh has achieved enormous growth over the last three decades. The GDP growth rate has reached an impressive record level. Per capita income has also increased significantly over the years. In many cases apart from battering poverty the country has achieved mostly food security for its 170 million population. For its shinning economic growth the country has been regarded as an economic powerhouse in South Asia.
The country has achieved remarkable progress in various social and economic spheres and is being recognized as the role model of development in the world. Not only that, it has achieved the final recommendation from the UN Committee to be graduated from the least developed country to a developing one by 2026 or some earlier.
One thing is very apparent that despite all economic achievements in material capital, knowledge-based economy in many cases is still unaddressed in the country. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development first introduced the concept of knowledge-based economy in the world. They have defined this economy directly based on the production, distribution and use of knowledge and information. Knowledge-based economy is all about the generation and utilization of knowledge for economic growth and wealth creation.
Certainly, the position of Bangladesh in the Global Knowledge Index published by UNDP is still worrying. The report reveals that Bangladesh has secured 112th out of 138th countries. Amid the South Asian countries Bangladesh has got the lowest position in terms of the Global Knowledge Index. To ensure a knowledge-based economy there is no alternative to prioritize education sector. Undeniably, over the years we have seen a significant change in our education sector. Again, the government is subsidizing more than it was previously. Student enrollment at primary and secondary education has increased significantly. Over the last fifty years the number of primary schools has increased manifolds which indicate the significant development of educational infrastructures. But the debates are so pervasive in case of quality education.
Tertiary education is considered pivotal in case of building up knowledge-based economy. Obviously, apart from public universities, private universities and colleges affiliated with national university are working to expand higher education in the country. The number of students receiving higher education has increased significantly over the years. But in many cases it is alleged that the universities have failed to produce quality graduates equipped with necessary skills to build up knowledge economy.
Our universities are showing poor performance in the World University Ranking. The report of the World University Ranking-2022 revealed that no university in Bangladesh including public and private universities has found any place at the top level of World University Ranking. Dhaka University and Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) which are considered the most reputed ones in the country have got their places at 801 to 1000, exposing the poor state of higher education in the country.
Educationists claim that lack of research and quality publications along with indifference to professionalism are the main causes that lag our universities behind. It gets frustrating when we see that no research experience and PhD is mandatory for being appointed at a university in the country.
But in the developed countries for being appointed as a school teacher, research experience along with MPhil or PhD is a must. It is really astonishing when we see that our education system exposes that MPhil and PhD degrees are optional qualification. But undeniably, the more the nation research oriented, the more the nation turns into human capital.
However, there is no alternative to take the right decision to ensure a significant knowledge-based economy. The first priority should be given to enhance skills of students at tertiary level of education. So, universities need to emphasize on outcome-based education for their students. Again, apart from ensuring better quality primary and secondary education there needs to prioritize effective vocational education and trainings which have not drawn much attention yet.
On top of that, a paradigm shift in teaching method is highly desirous to promote creativity, originality, innovation as well asthinking andanalytical skills to build up quality human resource who will sustain knowledge-based economy which is very imperative for the graduation of our country to the developed one by 2041.
(Alaul Alam teaches at Prime University. He is also a research scholar at the IBS).
