No music & sports teachers for primary schools!

The planned appointment of music and sports teachers to government primary schools has been cancelled. This decision has invited protests from different cultural organisations, educators, child rights activists and students of a number of universities. Apparently, the interim government has backed out of its earlier decision under pressure from some religion-based political parties. This is not for the first time that a government of Bangladesh has yielded to such pressures. Its predecessor, the fallen government of Sheikh Hasina did so in 2017 when some writings by secular authors were replaced by contents with religious and conservative themes. Again, her authoritarian government made compromise in 2023 by removing from the textbooks for 6th and 7th graders what was dubbed by the Islamists parties, 'Darwin's theory of evolution'. In 2024, just before the fall of her government, Hasina had to scrap a story about transgender titled "Sharifa's Tale" from a 7th grade book. 

So, the latest step does not go to the dubious credit of the interim government alone. But the question is, where such regressive moves will lead the country to. Contrast this with Saudi Arabia's latest decision to train 17,000 women music teachers at the school level. But this is the second such training programme that has focused particularly on music teachers of kindergarten and primary schools. In the first phase in 2022, the first batch of 12,000 music teachers were trained. The stated purpose is to make children familiarised with music and arts at their formative age paving the way for fostering creative talents. 

If Saudi Arabia, the birth place of Prophet Muhammad (sm) is undergoing a radical transformation opening up opportunities for women to take part in sports, music, drama and other arts, Bangladesh has no reason to opt for regressive policies like this. Any 'holier than the Pope' attitude is unlikely to bring the country any dividend ultimately. Music, poetry, verse and painting induce the creative urge not only from an early age but, according to leading biological scientists, also during a child's embryonic stage in the mother's womb. These also trigger creativity and concentration, helping develop a child's vocabulary and memory. Physical exercise is essential for development of children's bones and muscle as well as tenacity. 

So, this government decision is a violation of child rights. The incumbent government has demonstrated its enthusiasm in leasing out terminals of the Chittagong Port to foreign companies or operators ignoring protests from businesspeople. Instead, the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) increased on an average service tariff by 41 per cent effective from October 15 last. Naturally, businesses strongly opposed the move on the ground that it would increase cost of trade and diminish the country's export competitiveness. The terminals scheduled for handover to foreign operators have proved they are profitable. A 41 per cent increase in tariff on 56 services at the port is sure to enhance the profit further even under the management of the present setup. It is exactly for this reason, the rationale behind and compulsion for the government to lease out the terminals to foreign operators is rather suspect. 

Question naturally arises if the government can pursue a policy so dicey for an interim government with utmost tenacity ignoring appeals from the country's trade bodies, why can it not show a similar resolve in a matter regressive enough to take the country backward? Any move that deprives today's children of their rights and flourishing of their talents is a gross disservice to the posterity. When the artificial intelligence (AI)-dominated 4th industrial revolution is knocking at the door, such regressive steps at the highest level of administration are likely to be considered a disgrace for the nation. 

This country earned its liberation from colonial rules on the basis of principles of secularism and socialist democracy. It has long digressed from its avowed goal. Any further digression will prove highly costly. The country can ill afford any such regressive journey.

nilratanhalder2000@yahoo.com