M M Jasim :
Unhappy over the persisting downward quality of education, educationists now point fingers at the Education Ministry. They said it is the Education Ministry, which has failed to build up meritorious students.
The Ministry verbally directed examiners across the country to give unlimited marks to the students. Even the Education Minister told the teachers why they would not give more marks to the students, some alleged.
As a result, the students did not concentrate on study failing to make themselves knowledgeable persons and qualify the public university admission tests, the educationists further said.
When his attention was drawn to the alleged ‘unlimited marks’, a headmaster of a school wishing anonymity told this correspondent: “We used to give pass marks to a student if he or she appear in the examination. It was also the verbal directive of the education board.”
He also blamed the creative system for the present chaotic situation in the secondary level as the Education Ministry introduced the system without consulting with the teachers. Almost half of the teachers do not know about the creative system clearly, this head teacher further said.
Professor Anwar Husain of History Department at the University of Dhaka told The New Nation on Friday: “We expect success of every student who sits for public examination. It is unfortunate for the nation if they pass without writing anything in the examination papers. But it has been the regular scenario for the last few years.”
The quality of education is going downward, he lamented.
Pointing out that examination papers were not evaluated properly, Prof Anwar said the ministry forced the teachers to give students to make it sure that anyone appearing in the examination come out successful.
He also insisted on ensuring quality education at all levels.
Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University Professor Dr AAMS Arefin Siddique said, there is no denying the fact that quality of education goes downward.
Professor Siddique strongly opposed providing unlimited marks to the students.
He also laid emphasis on imparting training to the teachers for their capacity building so that they can teach the students properly.
The academics and education officials also blamed shortage of competent teachers, laboratories, libraries and other facilities in rural schools for the rural students’ falling behind their urban fellows.
Rural students cannot afford coaching, private tuition and do not get better guidance from parents at home and teachers at classrooms.
Dhaka University Professor Emeritus Serajul Islam Choudhury said that the drop in the pass rate of the SSC level students this time is not only an issue of education but it also points to the prevailing social and economic inequality.
Students from urban well-to-do families avail themselves of coaching, private tuition, better guidance, food and nutrition which no rural learners can afford, the eminent educationist also said.
Education now is a commodity and those who can afford it are making bright results, while those who cannot are failing, he said.
Prof Choudhury also thanked the Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid for admitting wrong evaluation in the last few years.
Proper evaluation of the examination papers has contributed to the decline in the pass rate in the Secondary School Certificate Examination results this year, Nahid said on Thursday.
