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The Education Minister has recently announced that all coaching centres across the country will be shut down. But his claim apparently rings hollow as the government's decision to replace the lottery-based admission system with competitive tests from Class One to Class Nine from next year has already given a fresh boost to the coaching business. Slick campaigns are in full swing both online and offline, urging parents to enrol their children in preparatory courses to secure admission to renowned schools. Many parents, anxious not to fall behind, are doing just that, sending their children to coaching centres even before they properly step into formal schooling. What a cruel world awaits these children, where their merit will be judged even before they get a proper chance at schooling. A large number of them will inevitably fail these tests, as seats in renowned schools are limited. They will be told that they failed …that they were not meritorious enough.
Determining whether a child is meritorious at the age of just 6 is not only inhuman, but also unthinkable in a cvilised society. This is happening in Bangladesh at a time when many countries are abolishing traditional exams in schools up to Class Five. The post-revolutionary Nepalese government is the latest to abolish exams in primary schools in order to reduce pressure on students, promote holistic development and shift the focus from rote learning to understanding.
The proliferation of coaching centres has not only affected classroom teaching but also created an uneven playing field to the great disadvantage of poorer students. The reintroduction of admission tests will further aggravate social inequality and shrink access to quality education for students from low- and middle-income families. Admission to quality educational institutions will increasingly be determined by parents' financial ability to afford coaching and tutoring. Moreover, children will be pushed into a rat race, robbing them of a joyful childhood, while countries around the world are exploring ways to make education more engaging and child-friendly.
So, instead of adding fuel to the further commercialisation of education, the government must focus on ensuring quality education in all public schools. This would require investment in enhancing teaching standards, infrastructure development, modern learning materials, and proper monitoring to maintain quality. Had there been no disparities between institutions in terms of the quality of education, parents would not feel compelled to seek better schools far away from their homes. Such measures would restore confidence in neighbourhood schools and gradually reduce dependence on private coaching and elite institutions. It would also reduce the stress and traffic congestion caused by travelling to and from distant schools. Students could simply walk or cycle to schools in their neighbourhood.
Education in some renowned schools in the city is no longer a matter of rights of the citizens; it is a commodity which these profit-making enterprises sell at exorbitant prices. Apart from charging high admission fees, monthly tuition fees and readmission fees, the school authorities also fleece the guardians under various misleading names of especial care fee, donation or development charge. And this has been going on since long without necessary and effective intervention by the authorities. Meanwhile, modernisation of madrassah education remains a most pertinent issue in education.
That said, formal education is not enough to bring the mental faculties of children to full play and give them the opportunity to excel in fields other than studies. That is why so much emphasis is put on extra-curricular activities these days. But the reality in our context is that the children are so overwhelmed with classroom education that they hardly have any time to engage in co-curricular activities. Most parents are satisfied as long as their children attend a so-called renowned school, go to coaching centres, and achieve good results. It is time to give fresh impetus to co-curricular activities. Budding lives cannot thrive on books alone.
At the same time, the moral aspect of education should not be overlooked. Education is not only for personal accomplishment, but also for social good. If this point is emphasised in the curriculum, educated people will be less selfish and learn to realise their duty to society. Single-minded competitiveness and career building tends to make people selfish. It is hoped that the education policy that is being formulated will take all these matters into consideration.