Md Bayazid Khan :
Once country’s most of the government-run primary schools had poor infrastructure made of bamboo and tin. There was a time when most of the government-run primary schools of the country had poor infrastructure. Teachers were under-qualified and untrained. But output regards to achieve learning by primary graduates was satisfactory and compatible to continue next stage of education. At that time primary graduates had reputation of becoming well-established in different professions with a strong sense of morality. Nowadays, the primary schools are facilitated with well furnished multistoried building with congenial atmosphere for effective teaching-learning and trained qualified teachers. Moreover, schools have electricity facilities with fans in the classrooms, toilet and drinking water facilities and yearly allotment of money for different purpose uses. Above mentioned facilities were not available to the then schools and even teachers didn’t imagine of getting such types of facilities at that time. But output from government run primary schools in terms of producing quality primary graduates is dissatisfactory. It will be quite a difficult task for government-run primary schools’ teachers to recollect names of their ex-students who have proved their mettle and got themselves established in diverse professions. Even a significant number of student of Grade three to five have deficiency in fluent reading of Bangla and English text. Besides, deterioration of law and order and incidences of frequently committed immoral activities in the society reflect absence of real learning as well as practices of moral education at primary schools.
Despite of getting satisfactory monetary and logistic facilities conducive to effective teaching-learning environment compare to facilities received by the then government run primary schools and teachers, primary schools are failing to provide qualitative learning and inject morality within students. Root cause behind students’ poor learning and practices of morality nowadays lies with the teachers. The former teachers had devotion and commitment to profession. They were both sympathetic and empathetic towards their students. They didn’t consider their profession a job rather took it as a mission. In spite of having inadequate training or even no training at times, they performed their duties with full professionalism. They had good rapport with the students and guardians. Though they had no obligation to visit their students’ homes, they often used to do it for the sake of students’ betterment.
But former primary school teachers had some advantages compare to current teachers. Teachers in the past did not have to face situation like involvement with non-academic activities, frequent school inspection by academic and non-academic persons etc. Even teachers’ associations at that time didn’t create any hindrances to run school and classroom teaching smoothly. Since students from all strata of the society used to study at primary schools at that time, therefore conscious parents had good communication with the school authorities and active participation in the school activities. Moreover teachers mostly involved in academic activities and stayed away from non-academic works. But nowadays teachers are often forced to get themselves involved in many unnecessary tasks, which ultimately hampers their first duty of teaching the students.
But the nation desperately wants to restore reputation and performances that the then government run primary schools used to provide to the society and this is the crying need of the country. The government has set targets of making the country a middle income and developed country respectively by 2021 and 2041. Regards to make government aforesaid vision a success within stipulated time, the country must need skilled young workforces and ensuring of quality education to future generation is the key to develop them as skilled workforces. As primary education is the foundation of secondary and tertiary tiers of education, therefore building of well skilled workforces need to be provided quality education at primary schools. This is fact that substantial numbers of country’s primary school going students are studying at government run primary school and most of them are from economically insolvent or middle class families. So, huge number of government runs primary school students rationally demands qualitative learning aiming to develop them as tomorrow’s skilled workforces like students of kindergartens & non-government institutions. Otherwise, students of disadvantaged, underprivileged and economically insolvent families will be lagged behind a lot in gaining qualitative learning at primary tire of education compare to students of economically solvent families that must deprive the country from developing significant number of students as tomorrow’s desired workforces. Eventually, participation of huge number of future generation into the economic activities may be hindered. But the country’s economy is progressing so fast and to keep pace equally with the progress the country badly needs to ensure its entire future generation’s active participation into the economic activities towards achieving the vision. So, it is proven fact that there is no other alternative to strengthen foundation of students learning journey by providing them of quality primary education with a view to develop tomorrow’s workforces well skilled.
The government is leaving no stone unturned to invest huge amount of money as well as taking history making initiatives to provide qualitative primary education to entire students. Ongoing government efforts and initiatives are commendable regards to increase enrollment and attendance, reduce drop out and remove gender disparity with enabling to inclusiveness at primary education. Country’s envious success in primary education creates history for becoming role model to other Asian and African countries who are lagging far behind in above mentioned areas of primary education.
But the nation is concern to the gained learning of students along with provided teaching by teachers at primary schools nowadays. Ensuring of quality teaching and learning in primary education is a must doable responsibility of the government and therefore, initiatives might be taken considering the following opinions:
There is no other alternative to motivating teachers for performing duties with the right attitude. Foundation training courses such as Diploma in Primary Education (DPEd) have totally failed to motivate teachers to conduct teaching in the classrooms utilizing knowledge gained from training. Government may cut short the long duration of DPEd training and revise the curriculum of DPEd with a focus on the contents of the textbooks, morality, service rule and performing duties with devotion and commitment.
Teachers and other concerned officials might be brought under accountability. Teachers should have year-wise targets to ensure minimum level of learning for every student, bring down the dropout rate and increase the enrollment and attendance rate. Aforesaid targets might be evaluated by third parties and, teachers and Supervisory Officers might be rewarded or punished after considering their performances. Government may consider teachers and officers with better performances in evaluation to select for foreign training rather than considering from the list of upazila/distric/division/national level best categories that may not reflect proper selection.
Negligence of duties by teachers and Supervisory Officers should be brought under rapid stern punishment. Patronisation or indulgence to insincere and devoted-less teachers or supervisory officers might be stopped by politicians or big guns. Rather they are asked to visit local primary schools just to inspire teachers and officers for performing duties with commitment. Politicians and influential persons must be restricted from interfering in the decision-making process of smooth running of the schools.
Activities such as attending rallies and meetings severely hamper teaching-learning process, so alternative ways must be found out so that learning goes on without any hindrance.
Government may think of observing/celebrating different national days keeping schools open for the concern days and this will ensure every student’s participation in the programmes. Rather, school might be closed for the next day.
The government may think of reducing frequent inspection of schools by different non-academic persons, because frequent visits sometimes hamper the classroom activities. In addition, visitors’ different types of attitude may devalue teachers’ dignity.
Students should be taught about morality at the primary schools. Tasks designed to impart lessons related to morality should be regularly conducted by the teachers. Moreover, the teachers’ level of morality should be high and never be compromised under any circumstances.
There must be a ladder so that teachers and other officers may have the opportunity of getting promotion after stipulated time. There might be the provision of additional attractive allowances and logistic support for teachers teaching at the schools located in the remote areas so that teachers feel motivated and encouraged to attend those schools.
Vacant posts of Teachers and Supervisory Officers should be filled up rapidly. Moreover, while recruiting teachers teacher-student ratio must be taken into account.
Well, the government has set targets to be a middle-income and developed country by 2021 and 2041 respectively. If the government wants to materialise this vision within the stipulated time, the country will need skilled young workforce. And if we want to develop skilled workforce, then we must concentrate on imparting quality education at the primary level, the foundation of higher education. Meanwhile the fact is that a substantial number of primary school-going students belong to the lower strata of the society. If they don’t get proper education, they will definitely lag behind others. In that case it will be difficult to achieve all those we have dreamt of ignoring this vast population who are underprivileged and under-educated. So, there is no other alternative to strengthening the foundation of primary education.
(Md Bayazid Khan, works for primary education sector in Bangladesh; email: [email protected])
