Masum Billah :Education Watch 2014 report was released on 19 August on the basis of the study conducted by Campaign for Popular Education in 578 educational institutions under 150 upazilas/thanas/municipalities. The report has revealed some serious irregularities of our primary education scene calling for our attention. The report says that students and their families did not rely only on classroom teachings or even school-based coaching. Private tutoring has spread to all types of primary educational institutions and irrespective of socio-economic groups, both in urban and rural areas.Some examinees, supported directly or indirectly by teachers and examination organisers, were intent on scoring high marks at any cost. They tend to adopt malpractices and unethical behaviour as not enough preventive and punitive measures are taken against such practices. It’s a serious concern that the students are becoming acquainted with unethical things at the first stage of education in their lives which must have serious negative implications in the society and state. Education at the primary level has become exam-centric instead of learning, and dependent on guidebooks and coaching centres, increasing the cost of education and the cost ranges from 50 taka to 77 thousnad showing a serious financial gap at this early stage of education though it has been supposed to be almost equal for all. We distribute free books for them but they spend a colossal amount of money for buying education which definitely shows an opposite and frustrating picture. After the Primary Education Completion Examination (PECE) was introduced, education in primary schools became exam-centric, specially in grade V, depriving young children of the joy of learning and to be creative. Guidebooks have become principal instruments for most students, school teachers and private tutors, as these are readymade and can be memorised without the trouble of going through textbooks. A good number of students and teachers have more than one guidebook for each subject. It means government provided textbooks have disappeared from the classroom. 39.3 percent students of primary level received coaching classes in 2000 which came to 86.3 percent in 2014 because of the introduction of PSC examination. Student remain engaged in coaching classes 412 hours a year. All the teachers of 44 percent school are engaged in coaching. 63 percent schools arrange coaching of their own accord. Manipulation is done in seating arrangement in the examination halls so that weaker students can take help from the better ones which means real assessment is not done. The findings revealed that in the exam hall, 60-65 per cent examinees write on their own without help from others, and support is available to those who need it. Invigilators carried mobile phones to exam halls and received answers through mobile SMS from outside. They supply the answers orally or by writing on blackboards and create an opportunity for copying and to see other’s answer scripts. A chaotic situation prevails during the final 40 minutes to one hour exam time, when many examinees scramble to check and copy answers from each other.It said private expenditure for primary education has increased immensely over time and a major portion of it went for private tutoring, school-based coaching and buying guidebooks, suggestions and hand notes, raising questions about the quality of classroom teaching, free primary education and the subsidy policy in primary education. Rasheda K Chowdhury, Executive Director of CAMPE said: “Time has come to ponder over whether we are spoiling adolescence by arranging various exams, including the primary education completion exam.”Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad said: “Students at the primary level are appearing for exams after exams, but it is not creating their base for learning. We don’t need the PEC exams, as it is raising questions about question paper leaks and unhealthy competition.” “There are not many public exams in South Asia. Even in the USA, there is one exam in the 12th class and other exams are held locally. We need quality education that would open the hidden potentialities of children,” he added. He said the coaching centres have opened business in the name of giving tuition, triggering much expenses at the primary level and it should be stopped.Mesbah-Ul-Alam said more research work is needed on whether the primary completion exams are at all necessary, as children are undergoing tremendous pressure due to overload of books. Teachers and guardians at the programme expressed anxiety, as both students and parents undergo tremendous physical and mental pressure because of the heavy burden of exams at the primary. In the recommendation of Education Watch emphasis is given on quality classroom teaching and formative assessment, stopping malpractices in schools and in exam halls, support and respect to teachers and their empowerment. It is well known that BRAC is a major stakeholder in the primary and pre-primary education in Bangladesh. It has 22,618 primary schools where 670,815 students study and the number of teachers is 22,699. In 2008 there was a proposal that BRAC and government jointly would jointly run the preprimary and primary education of the country to bring about a healthy and joyful atmosphere in this tier of education. However, it was postponed in the face of countrywide protest by the primary level teachers. But we cannot afford to run the primary education in this way where students just pass in the examination following unethical ways at the cost of huge expenditure for private coaching and banishing the practice of creativity. Primary and Mass Education Minister Advocate Mostafizur Rahman sought cooperation of all people of the society including teachers, guardians and school managing committees for the development of the standard of education. He said the ministry has introduced digital question banks for the recruitment tests of primary school teachers to stop irregularities and corruption. “At initial stage, the process has been successfully applied in five districts to hold the recruitment tests. The process to take tests in another 17-disctrict on August 28 is underway,” this is undoubtedly a good step but he must ensure the recruitment process from any kind of political influence. Primary education is the basement of education. So, teachers should absorb themselves with more transparency and accountability to give lessons at the classrooms. The minister called for conducting more research for development of the standard of education which we appreciate.(Masum Billah is works as an education specialist in BRAC Education Program, Email: masumbillah [email protected])
