The recent textbook board fiasco once again brought to light just how much needs to be done to fix our broken education system.
Of course, proper action must be taken against those responsible, and the government must see to it that error-free textbooks are published in future printings, but textbooks are just part of the problem.
Another large part of the problem is unqualified and incompetent teachers.
High quality textbooks will mean nothing if our children are in the hands of educators who themselves lack the proper understanding of the material.
These two problems are, then, inextricably linked.
To that end, it is a sign of hope that the Education Ministry has undertaken a massive project to train teachers, with a goal of improving the quality of college education.
This is a noble initiative, but it must be remembered that it is not just the colleges that need attention — our primary and secondary schools also need help.
Last year’s uproar involving GPA-5 students unable to answer simple general knowledge questions shows that these problems start early.
If we do not fix our early education, no amount of college teacher training will help, as damage would have already been done.
Right now, the Bangladeshi population has very little faith in the public education system it has inherited, which is why those who can afford it are increasingly opting to send their children to English-medium schools or to foreign shores.
It is a matter of utmost urgency that we fix our education system. A nation simply cannot progress without giving education its due importance.
Source: Dhaka Tribune
