Education sector in discussion throughout 2024

The outgoing year has been the topic of discussion regarding changes in textbooks and education systems, cancellation of education policies, and various demands of students. Especially after the political change of August 5 due to the mass movement of students, there have been major changes in school textbooks. Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's picture is being removed, and stories and graffiti from the July Movement are being added to it.

400 million books are being printed anew
After the fall of the Awami League government, the old tender was canceled and a new tender was called. For this reason, printing and distribution of free textbooks is likely to face delay in the new year.

Primary and Mass Education Adviser Professor Dr. Bidhan Ranjan Roy Poddar said that the books were supposed to be printed in a foreign country. After August 5, the tender was canceled and a new tender was called. Therefore, there is some delay in printing the book. Although there is some delay in distributing the book, the primary books will be delivered to the primary students by January. However, the book festival will not be held on January 1.

National Curriculum and Textbook Board Chairman AKM Riazul Hasan said: "This time, about 40 crore books will be printed. CDs of the manuscripts have been given. Hopefully, if everything goes according to plan, we will be able to hand over the books to the students at the beginning of the year."

'July Movement' in textbooks
After the political change, the picture of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her quotes are being removed from primary and secondary textbooks. Graffiti or pictures drawn on the walls of the 'July Movement' are being added to them.

Several NCTB officials said that several textbooks reflect the 'spirit of the student-public movement'. However, the matter is very recent history. Therefore, graffiti of the 'mass movement' has been kept in some textbooks instead of being written.

A source said on condition of anonymity that these graffiti will be added to the covers of some books like Bangla, Itihas, Bangladesh and Biswaparichoy books or some parts of the book. On the other hand, the pictures and quotes of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on the back pages of the textbooks will now be removed. Instead, some timeless sayings will be added. Some history-based topics are also being cut.

Education policy being canceled
The 2010 education policy introduced during the Awami League government has been canceled. The current interim government calls it 'unsuitable and unworkable'. An education commission will soon be formed to formulate a new education policy.

Education Ministry officials said that six education policies formulated in the country since independence have been canceled with the change of government.

Professor Aminul Islam, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser, said: “The current education policy is completely unsuitable and will not be of any use. A large part of it has not been implemented. Which proves that it is 'unworkable'. Therefore, we have decided to cancel it.”

He said: “A new education commission will be announced soon to formulate a new education policy. We are sure that this commission will do a great job. It will also ensure that there is no controversy over the new education policy.”

A top official of the Ministry of Education said that the ministry can send the names of the members of the new education commission to the office of the chief advisor within two to three working days.

‘Mid-day meal’ introduced in all primary schools
The interim government will introduce ‘mid-day meal’ in all primary schools of the country within the next five years to reduce the dropout rate of students. The project in this regard is awaiting approval by the ECNEC. In the first phase, this ‘mid-day meal’ will be introduced in all schools of 150 upazilas. ‘Mid-day meal’ is being introduced in some schools of the country including Cox’s Bazar and Bandarban.

Primary and Mass Education Advisor Professor Dr. Bidhan Ranjan Roy Poddar said that it is not possible for the ministry alone to build a quality education system at the primary level. The rocker requires the overall participation of everyone in society. Seeking everyone’s cooperation in achieving this goal, he said: “It is possible to raise children to be literate with everyone’s cooperation.”

Bidhan Ranjan Roy Poddar claims that huge expenditure is being made to provide stipends to increase the attendance of primary school students. But the desired results are not being achieved for the purpose for which it was done. Students' names are kept in primary schools to get stipends. But they are studying in other schools.

Seven colleges in a circle of problems and demands
About seven years and eight months ago, the seven major government colleges in the capital, which were under the National University, were affiliated to Dhaka University. But the expected steps have not been taken to improve the quality of higher education in the colleges. As a result, from the beginning till now, these well-known colleges have been going through various problems and demands, including delays in examinations and results publication.

The colleges are Dhaka College, Eden Women's College, Government Shaheed Suhrawardy College, Kabi Nazrul Government College, Begum Badrunnesa Government Women's College, Mirpur Government Bangla College and Government Titumir College.

After the political change, the students of the colleges staged a series of protests, making several demands, including an independent university, to the interim government. This brought traffic to a standstill on several important roads in the capital. The Ministry of Education then formed a committee on October 24 to resolve the academic and administrative problems of seven government colleges.

On November 6, the students temporarily suspended their agitation after being assured by Education Adviser Professor Wahid Uddin Mahmud. They said that a commission should be formed with experts who are concerned about higher education and immediate action should be taken.

Demand to convert Titumir College into a university
The agitation by the students of the institution demanding the conversion of the government-run Titumir College into a university was another hot topic of the year. On November 18, students blocked the Mohakhali rail gate and pelted stones and bricks at a moving train, injuring several people, including children. When photos and videos of the injured and bloodied students went viral on Facebook, Titumir College students faced widespread criticism.

The interim government decided to form a committee to examine whether it was possible to convert Titumir College into a university. The students withdrew their agitation after being assured by their advisors in a meeting with the Ministry of Education.

Battleground in clashes between students from three colleges
On November 25, Dhaka's Jatrabari area became a battlefield in clashes between students from three colleges. Hundreds of students from Government Shaheed Suhrawardy College and Kabi Nazrul Government College attacked students from Dr. Mahbubur Rahman Mollah College. They vandalized the college building and took valuables from the institution. More than 50 people were injured in the students' chase and counter-chase.

The counter-attack came a day after thousands of students from more than a dozen colleges, including Dr. Mahbubur Rahman Molla College, attacked Kabi Nazrul and Suhrawardy Colleges in Old Dhaka.

The clash began at Dhaka National Medical Institute Hospital. It was alleged that Dr. Abhijit, a student of Mahbubur Rahman Molla College, died due to medical negligence. Students from various colleges surrounded the hospital on November 24 demanding justice. When the protest turned into a clash, vandalism and looting were carried out at the hospital and the nearby Suhrawardy and Kabi Nazrul Colleges.

Teacher Asif in discussion by tearing out pages of textbooks
Asif Mahtab, a part-time philosophy teacher at BRAC University, who protested by tearing out pages of the story 'Sharif to Sharifa' from the seventh-grade textbook, was fired on January 22. The university authorities informed him over the phone that he would no longer be attending classes. The issue heated up on social media. Some demanded his reinstatement.

At a seminar at the National Teachers Forum, teacher Asif Mahtab said that students are being brainwashed by inserting transgender stories in seventh grade textbooks. He also tore out the page of the story 'Sharif to Sharifa' from the textbook.