Discipline yet to return in education sector, reform lags behind
Despite the interim government's emphasis on reforms across various sectors, including education, no visible progress has been made in the education sector after two months in office.
Instead, the situation has worsened, with increased unrest, forced resignations of teachers, and stalled classes and exams in universities. The government is also grappling with challenges in revising the curriculum and textbooks.
Education experts stress that the government must remain firm in its reform efforts, without yielding to opposition. They argue that experienced teachers and educators should be involved in these reforms.
They also suggest that a dedicated adviser be assigned to oversee the Ministry of Education to ensure reform initiatives succeed.
Forced resignations in educational institutions still on
Since the student-led movement toppled the previous government, there have been widespread incidents of teachers being humiliated and forced to resign across various educational institutions. Despite repeated directives, the Ministry of Education has failed to address the issue effectively. Although the frequency of such incidents has reduced, they haven't ceased completely.
For instance, a teacher from Islamic University was recently assaulted by students, and secondary students clashed with teachers in a school in Rampura. Teachers across the country are also being defamed, often labeled as “friends of the Awami League.” Despite the Ministry of Education's announcements, no concrete action has been taken against those involved in these incidents.
Dhaka University’s Peace and Conflict Studies Department Chairman, Dr. Saber Ahmed Chowdhury, noted, “Teachers' involvement in the student movement wasn't ideal, but that doesn't justify insulting or removing them from their posts. There should be a system in place to prevent such incidents.”
Universities struggling to reopen fully
Political appointments made by the previous Awami League government left universities in disarray, with vice-chancellors and other senior officials forced to resign after the government’s fall. This has stalled academic activities, including classes and exams. The interim government began appointing new vice-chancellors in early September, but 15 universities remain without leadership, significantly slowing the return to normalcy.
Educationists view the delay in reopening universities as a failure of the interim government.
Emeritus Professor Serajul Islam Choudhury commented, “The government has shown some success in appointing non-political vice-chancellors, but more sincerity was needed to quickly restore class schedules.”
University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman, Professor Dr SMA Faiz, praised the government's efforts in appointing vice-chancellors and expressed hope that the remaining issues would soon be resolved.
Limited progress in education administration reforms
The interim government initiated reforms in the education administration by replacing loyalists of the previous government with relatively neutral and pro-BNP officials. However, progress has been slow due to internal resistance from holdovers from the Awami League era. A senior official from the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education disclosed that many of these officials are obstructing smooth operations, delaying reforms.
Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Dr KM Kabirul Islam, refuted these claims, asserting that the renovation work was progressing well, despite initial hurdles.
Curriculum and textbook revision faces challenges
The interim government scrapped the National Education Syllabus-2021, introduced by the Awami League, and announced plans to revert to the previous creative curriculum. However, the revision process has faced opposition, particularly from Islamic political and cultural organizations who have labeled some committee members as "anti-Islamists."
Despite these obstacles, National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) Chairman, Professor AKM Riazul Hasan, assured that the revisions had been successfully completed, and the process is moving forward without further impediments.
Unaddressed issues of teacher salaries and transfers
While reforms in the education sector are underway, little attention has been given to addressing the long-standing demands of teachers regarding salary and transfer arrangements. Teachers in MPO-listed secondary schools and colleges earn a starting salary of just Tk 12,300, which many argue is insufficient to support their families. Teachers have also called for a more organized transfer system.
Dr Mahbubur Rahman, coordinator of the primary teachers' 10th grade implementation committee, expressed optimism that the interim government would address their demands.
‘Knee-jerk’ policies hindering education reform
Education experts argue that the government's approach to reforms is hindered by "knee-jerk" reactions to opposition from various groups. The curriculum and textbook revision committees, for instance, have faced criticism from Islamic organizations, leading to the removal of key experts from the committee.
Emeritus Professor Serajul Islam Choudhury emphasized that qualified experts, regardless of political or religious affiliations, should lead the reforms. “A madrasa teacher cannot revise a sociology textbook. We need scholars like Samina Lutfa or other competent researchers to carry out this work.”
Government’s pledge for positive change
In response to the ongoing challenges, Education Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud acknowledged the issues but remained hopeful about the future. "We are working on several committees to bring about reforms in the education sector. While there have been problems, we aim to avoid them moving forward," he said.
He also reminded the public of the interim government’s limited capacity to make sweeping changes, such as hiring large numbers of teachers or significantly raising salaries, but assured that efforts are underway to bring about positive changes in the education sector.
