Monday, July 29, 2019

Workplace is being shrunk because of the lack of English skill


Our policy-makers always talk about the importance of English but there is no initiative to start English medium education at the government level. Though some private English medium schools are providing standard education, less than 1% of the students are studying in these schools. The current English language teaching system fails to achieve expected result. As a result, we cannot develop large pool of workers who are skilled in English. It is also shrinking the job-opportunity of our youth and the number of unemployed youth with poor English skill increasing day by day. Multinational companies, freelance outsourcing, no where we are achieving our expected outcome. Failing in international arena, more and more youth are looking for jobs in the overcrowded domestic market thus creating huge pressure. Meanwhile the private English medium schools are charging exorbitant amount of tuition fees which is becoming unbearable for people with limited income. Despite their best wishes, families with limited income do not think of enrolling their children in these English medium schools.

University-level admission examinations reveal the pitiful condition of English language proficiency of our students. Only 2 out of 40,565 students who sat for the arts department admission examination in the University of Dhaka in 2014 obtained adequate marks to become eligible to study in the English Department. In 2016, 90% students failed in English in the admission test in “Ga” unit. Educationists have said, “Proficiency in English is not being achieved even after the end of 17 years of education life in our education system. Though half a million young people finishes higher education, they are facing adversity in their workplace because of the lack of English skills. 47% graduates are not getting job. If there were English skill, workplace would have been expanded outside the country. If English medium could start in government schools then large population of the country would come under English education.” According to Education Ministry, there are almost four crores of students from pre-primary till higher secondary. In 146 registered private English medium schools, only 79,000 students are studying, which is 20% of the total students.

As per Bangladesh English Medium School Association, the number of such type of schools in our country is almost 350. The number of students is around 3 lakhs. If we take everything into consideration, the percentage of students studying in English medium (foreign and Bangladeshi curriculum) is 0.75%. Less than 1 percent of the students are getting opportunity to study in English medium giving high salary. But out of 1 crore and 73 lakh students in total, 1 crore and 30 lakh (75%) students are studying in government schools throughout the country. Hossain Zillur Rahman, education adviser of the former caretaker government, said to Bangladesh Pratidin, “English is not only a language; it is now seen as a technology. It is an acknowledged medium in international communication. But our policy makers have made the definition of one kind of patriotism by saying English foreign language. As if focusing on English will diminish the prestige of Bengali language. It is the trick of aspect. We will give priority to Bengali on our own responsibility.”

Because of the trick of the aspect, general people are being deprived. Elite class and policy makers are making their child fully proficient in English. General people are being deprived. Country is suffering. If English version was started beside Bengali medium in government schools gradually, meritorious students in poor family could study. But, in this case, only announcement will not be enough. Many new teachers will be required. They will have to be made efficient. For this, they will have to make plan and they will have to do all the things that are necessary. Professor Syed Manzoorul Islam, former teacher of the University of Dhaka, said, “Due to lack of English skills, we are sustaining loss in international court. It would be better if English version were started in government educational institutions. But good teachers will not be found with the present salary structure. And if we go to do it without any long-term plan, it will be reversal. There will be project, money will be spent, but it will be of no use. In the name of training, many people will travel to different countries. After returning from training, they will be transferred to another ministry. One percent of the allocation will not be spent in education. For this reason, we will have to do long-term plan with overall education sector. Primary till class eight, secondary till class twelve and higher education from after- we will have to do plan in this way. College education is an ineffective system. It should have withdrawn. I have edited and submitted a strategic paper about higher education. Now, it is possible to make radical change in the education system of the country if we can move forward coordinately, making primary and secondary strategy paper. But here educationists do not run education sector. That is the problem. For this reason, education policy making in 2010 is in cold storage for nine years.”

Sunday, July 7, 2019

The awful scenario of mathematics and language education in the primary schools in Bangladesh

A survey on the standard of education in Bangladesh conducted by the government is saying that students of the primary schools are getting only 40% of their required education from schools.  

In this research on evaluation of the students, a fearful scenario about the standard of the government primary schools has come out.  

90% students of the fifth grade have low standard mathematics skills. On the other hand, 35% students of the third grade have low standard in Bangla language education.

In Bangladesh, the number of government primary school is 63,600. The number of students is two crore and nineteen lakh. As a result, education researchers said, “There is a close relation between the education standard of these schools and the standard of the country’s overall education.”

Rasheda K Chowdhury, the leading education researcher of Bangladesh, said to BBC that the standard of education and insufficiency in the primary level education is very alarming.” She said that a survey conducted by them in 2015 has shown that students are being depended on coaching for not getting education in school.”

Md Gias Uddin Ahmed, Additional Secretary of the ministry of Primary and Mass Education, said to Rakib Hasnat of BBC Bangla that they have accepted the result of this research and are thinking deeply about the ways to solve this problem.

He mentioned that they are thinking of organizing various competitions in the primary level to improve the standard of mathematics education.  

But one primary teacher told BBC that the lack of teachers is the main reason for this situation.   

Fatima Sharmin, a teacher of Amtali Staff Welfare Govt. Primary School, said, “There are 10 teachers for 529 students in her school.”

That means, one teacher has to manage more than 50 students on an average where this number is not supposed to be more than 30 in the government policy. This scenario is worse in rural areas.

“The number of student is very high, and on top of that they come with a different level of intelligence. So, we cannot give necessary attention to everyone. As a result, many low-intelligence students are being lost.”

“During training, we are taught to take preparation before taking class, but where is the time?”

Although the present government has paid attention to increasing the number of students and stop them from dropping out, the fear about the standard of education is increasing by day.

Source:
https://www.bbc.com/bengali/news-42223538?fbclid=IwAR1GJSqzMvzZkHbFtF_OS0kqLUmn3Y_SSELwXfvcEoYlEReXA2rzeVx1G30

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