Experts for political commitment to ensure quality education

Eminent academics and social thinkers at a virtual discussion on Wednesday underlined the need for political commitment to achieve the 2030 sustainable development goals of universal, quality and inclusive secondary education, and a major expansion of lifelong learning – including early childhood development and functional literacy.

Like-minded citizens, political and social activists, professionals, and human rights promoters should join hands to move forward the agenda that Bangladesh needs for an inclusive, equitable, and quality education system, they said.

The virtual discussion on Brac University Emeritus Professor Manzoor Ahmed's book, entitled "Political Economy of Education in South Asia: Fighting Poverty, Inequality and Exclusion", was organised by the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD).  The book is co-authored by Professor John Richards and Shahidul Islam and is published by the University of Toronto Press.

The education system has a central role to play in building a progressive and democratic political system in the country, said Manzoor Ahmed, adding that GDP growth and mega projects are not enough in this regard. He also warned that education must be protected from short-sighted politics.

A comprehensive plan should be designed for the education sector for 2030, he said, adding some work has been done with hesitant government participation but a permanent education commission, as anticipated in the 2010 policy, should guide the process as the guardian of the education system.

"All school education should come under one ministry within a decentralised governance structure. Education governance should be decentralised with regulatory frameworks covering state, private, and hybrid institutions – all upholding 'public good'," he said.

The government must take up initiatives to attract the best talents to the teaching profession, he suggested, adding a national teaching service corps may be formed to this end.

CPD Chairman Professor Rehman Sobhan chaired the session while Professor Syed Manzoorul Islam, member of the CPD Board of Trustees, Binayak Sen, director general of the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), Eresh Omar Jamal, assistant editor of The Daily Star, Fahmida Khatun, executive director of the CPD, and Khondaker Golam Moazzem, research director of the CPD, among others, spoke on the occasion.

Professor Rehman Sobhan said the market demand has taken over the classical disciplines in the private education system, which is causing students to enter the mainstream with low-quality education.

Professor Syed Manzoorul Islam, member of the CPD Board of Trustees and former professor of English at Dhaka University, stated that quality teachers produce quality students.

He appreciated the recommendation of the authors for a national pool of teachers and added that university students with the highest quality must be retained as teachers.

Binayak Sen pointed out that household poverty is a big barrier to primary and secondary education and the highest rate of drop-outs is from the marginalised community.

Eresh Omar Jamal stressed the importance of self-learning and the curiosity of students. He also expressed concerns over the politicisation of university governance and a lack of freedom of speech for teachers.