Campus Desk :
Parents in Bangladesh society turn worse when it comes to the education of their children. They yell, use attacking words, force them to chase their dream and thus put them down.
Take the example of Fatema Yasmin, a first-year student of Economics Department of Dhaka University. She laments that her parents stopped talking to her as she has failed to get enrolled in a medical college.
“When I was in class IX, my parents forced me to go for science so that I can study medical science in the future although I was fond of commerce. On completion of HSC examinations, they (parents) got me admitted to a medical coaching centre although this time I was interested in engineering education,” Fatema recalls. She goes on saying, “As I failed to get a chance in medical college, my parents stopped talking to me. Even they didn’t allow me for applying in other universities. But I applied for admission to Dhaka University without informing them, and succeeded!”
As admission to the country’s higher educational institutions is going on, educationists suggest that it is the student, not his or her guardian, who will chooses the subject or discipline for higher education. In Bangladesh, they said, it is a common practice that guardians influence, in some cases, force students for choosing subject or discipline as per their wish for higher studies.
Describing the trend as unfortunate, the educationists said it hampers the flourishment of the talents of students.
Talking to UNB, a number of students said they themselves want to choose the subjects for their higher studies, not by their parents, while some guardians said they want to involve in choosing subjects for their children as they think they can guide them in making a good choice which will be helpful to build a good career. Noor Hossain, who has qualified in the medical admission test this year, says, “I was interested to study in a university, but my parents want me to be a doctor as there’s no doctor in my family.”
Hossain adds: “First, I had found my parents’ dream as a pressure, but later I took it as my own dream. So, I put in my all-out efforts to get myself admitted to a medical college.”
Mohammad Fahim, a guardian says, “I want my son to be a doctor to serve people, and it will also help upgrade our social standing as there’s no doctor in my family.” When contacted, Dhaka University Vice Chancellor Prof Dr AAMS Arefin Siddique told UNB that the guardians should leave the future of their children to them. The guardians, he said, can give suggestions but they cannot impose their decisions on their children that what subjects they will be reading in universities.
“Guardians shouldn’t force their children to choose subjects or discipline as per their wish. Many students lose their morale for such pressure from their guardians which cast a negative impact on flourishing their talents. The academic life of many meritorious students has got destroyed due to such injudicious decisions of guardians,” he said.
The VC, also a professor of Mass Communication and Journalism, said teachers at school and college levels can play role in this regard as they can provide counseling to the guardians. “I myself would talk to guardians if anyone of my students faces such compulsion in taking decision over their higher education,” he added. Education expert and a professor of Institute of Education and Research at Dhaka University Prof Siddikur Rahman said, “It’s the students who will choose their subjects of disciplines as per their interest and results. The guardians have nothing to do in this regard.”
Courtesy: UNB, Dhaka
Parents in Bangladesh society turn worse when it comes to the education of their children. They yell, use attacking words, force them to chase their dream and thus put them down.
Take the example of Fatema Yasmin, a first-year student of Economics Department of Dhaka University. She laments that her parents stopped talking to her as she has failed to get enrolled in a medical college.
“When I was in class IX, my parents forced me to go for science so that I can study medical science in the future although I was fond of commerce. On completion of HSC examinations, they (parents) got me admitted to a medical coaching centre although this time I was interested in engineering education,” Fatema recalls. She goes on saying, “As I failed to get a chance in medical college, my parents stopped talking to me. Even they didn’t allow me for applying in other universities. But I applied for admission to Dhaka University without informing them, and succeeded!”
As admission to the country’s higher educational institutions is going on, educationists suggest that it is the student, not his or her guardian, who will chooses the subject or discipline for higher education. In Bangladesh, they said, it is a common practice that guardians influence, in some cases, force students for choosing subject or discipline as per their wish for higher studies.
Describing the trend as unfortunate, the educationists said it hampers the flourishment of the talents of students.
Talking to UNB, a number of students said they themselves want to choose the subjects for their higher studies, not by their parents, while some guardians said they want to involve in choosing subjects for their children as they think they can guide them in making a good choice which will be helpful to build a good career. Noor Hossain, who has qualified in the medical admission test this year, says, “I was interested to study in a university, but my parents want me to be a doctor as there’s no doctor in my family.”
Hossain adds: “First, I had found my parents’ dream as a pressure, but later I took it as my own dream. So, I put in my all-out efforts to get myself admitted to a medical college.”
Mohammad Fahim, a guardian says, “I want my son to be a doctor to serve people, and it will also help upgrade our social standing as there’s no doctor in my family.” When contacted, Dhaka University Vice Chancellor Prof Dr AAMS Arefin Siddique told UNB that the guardians should leave the future of their children to them. The guardians, he said, can give suggestions but they cannot impose their decisions on their children that what subjects they will be reading in universities.
“Guardians shouldn’t force their children to choose subjects or discipline as per their wish. Many students lose their morale for such pressure from their guardians which cast a negative impact on flourishing their talents. The academic life of many meritorious students has got destroyed due to such injudicious decisions of guardians,” he said.
The VC, also a professor of Mass Communication and Journalism, said teachers at school and college levels can play role in this regard as they can provide counseling to the guardians. “I myself would talk to guardians if anyone of my students faces such compulsion in taking decision over their higher education,” he added. Education expert and a professor of Institute of Education and Research at Dhaka University Prof Siddikur Rahman said, “It’s the students who will choose their subjects of disciplines as per their interest and results. The guardians have nothing to do in this regard.”
Courtesy: UNB, Dhaka
