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Yet another storm, apparently, is brewing in the academic arena over the 'unified education system' at the secondary level.

The system that intends to replace the existing compartmentalized methods of education---- students are allowed to take up science, commerce and humanities subjects at class nine--- with an unified education system at the secondary level from the next academic year.

The education ministry claims that the new system would help abolish a discriminatory method of education and help students to acquire some fundamental knowledge about all subjects.

But a group of academicians dismisses the government claim saying that the new system would degrade the standard of education. The group under the banner of the' National Committee to Proposed Unified Education' has drawn up an extensive programme to build up opinion against the new education system at the secondary level.

The convenor of the committee Prof, Mohammad Zafar Iqbal told newsmen Saturday last that the government had been making a substantial change in the country's education system without consulting the teachers, students, guardians, researchers and educationists. He said if the government plan is materialized, the new generation will face the "greatest disaster". Prof. Zafar smelt conspiracy to take the country's education 50 years backwards through the so-called unified system. He also predicted that the new system would fall apart within months, causing serious inconvenience to the secondary school students.

The government, however, had earlier dismissed allegations similar to that of Prof. Zafar and claimed that adequate consultations and discussions were held before deciding on the new system developed under an Asian Development Bank (ADB) assistance programme.

The government might have organised consultations and discussions with the groups and persons concerned. But the fact remains that not much public attention was drawn to this issue of great national importance. There had not been enough efforts on the part of the education ministry to involve the media, academics, researchers and enlightened people belonging to all shades of opinion. Many people came to know about the system only after the decision was taken to introduce it.

Moreover, the education ministry did not feel it necessary to hold a detailed discussion on such an important issue in the national parliament. Among the lawmakers there are educationists who could give their valuable opinion on the issue.

To be honest, most guardians, students and teachers are totally unaware of the changes. They do not know why the changes are being made. At least the teachers of all secondary schools and guardians of students should have been supplied with the details of the new system and asked to give their opinion, prior to taking a final decision on the issue.

Allegations have it that a top bureaucrat, who has gone on retirement, had been instrumental in deciding the 'unified education' system under the ADB-finance programme primarily designed to develop the curriculum at the secondary level. The project was taken up for implementation at the fag end of the rule of the Awami League (AL) government. But real implementation began in 2004. Besides, there are allegations about misuse of aid money under the project. It is not still clear what the fate of the new education system will be. But a section of government officials and contractors have made windfall gains out of the project meant for the development of secondary education.

The education minister reportedly said in a TV interview that the main objective of the new system was to narrow the differences between the mainstream secondary education and the madrasha education. Such an assertion, apparently, does not carry any meaning since in spite of the proposed changes the difference between two education systems would continue to persist. The end products of madrasha education would never be able to compete with the graduates from normal universities so far as the job market is concerned.

There is no denying that the time is ripe to reform the madrasha education lock, stock and barrel. Neglect on the part of successive governments to change and improve the situation in thousands of madrashas has given rise to many problems, including the rise of religious extremism.

All madrashas need to be brought under a unified education system. Side by side religious education, imparting education on all subjects taught in primary and secondary classes to students of madrashas should be made compulsory. The madrashas that only impart religious education and churn out thousands of ignorant Maulavis should be asked to operate like modern educational institutions. The task will not be easy since there will be stiff resistance from vested quarters who exploited the religious sentiment of the vast majority of the people. Yet the task cannot be left unattended. Already enough of time has been wasted.

Coming back to the decision to introduce the 'unified education' system at the secondary level, one has to admit that there exists a lot of confusion among the teachers, guardians and students about the system. The government has failed in its task to disseminate the necessary information about the system among all the stakeholders. Since opposition--- it is expected to grow stronger in the coming days--- to the system has surfaced, the government needs to convince the people concerned about the benefits, if there is any, of the 'unified education' system.

Source: The Financial Express More