Main Page «
Front Page «
Metro «
Business «
International «
Sports «
National «
Editorial «
Home «
Timeout «
Letters «

Archive «
Launch Supplement «
Special Supplements «

The loud cry for quality education from primary school to university is heard across the country nowadays. It was not a serious problem before as it is now. The Liberation War caused great social, economic, political, upheavals, law and order and good governance problems which were natural for the birth of a new independent Bangladesh. But those could not be reined in and directed according to desired goals and aspirations of our people. Political leadership was inefficient and corrupt. Without realising its dire consequences it introduced politics into educational institutions particularly in universities and colleges along party lines which is unknown and unimaginable anywhere in the globe including the Indian subcontinent. Some education commissions including the one headed by Qudrat-e-Khuda made some valuable recommendations which were not implemented. Lack of knowledge and understanding of some of our unthinking educational reformers, politicians, and politic of teachers, students and educationists on party-basis have been behind our educational problems and quality education in particular. We can have quality education from quality learning materials provided to the learners from well-informed teachers, from well-stocked libraries, and from high standard testing or examination of that learning.
   At the outset one should ask what quality education means. Some talk of changing the whole education system vaguely without telling what is to change. None could specifically diagnose wherein lies the disease and more importantly, where and how to begin. This writing begins with what it means by first rate education or high class education or the education of the standard of Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Yale, Brown and Princeton Universities.
   This writer takes first rate education to mean the standard of education at many of the universities, colleges and schools of the west, and not just the few top ones. Learning achievements of our GPA 5 or 4 in SSC or HSC are low compared with those of 0 and A levels. Getting a grade point average of 5 does not mean that our students have quality education or knowledge as found in the O or A level students of western countries. Our second class (including honours) graduates or holders of masters degrees are inferior in knowledge, skill and attitude to those of the West. Our first class degree holders do not fare well either. Everyone who has education or a degree from the West will share the same view.
   Now, the relevant question is why they are better products or have quality education. This is not because supreme importance is given as in our country from primary to higher secondary schools to pedagogue, methodology, facilities—physical and laboratory equipments—supervision, management, impartial recruitment procedure and recently proposed incentives to institutions and their teachers. These are surely helpful to quality education but not essential. The essentials are learning materials that pupils have received from good learning of their different subject teachers, from their readings at their rich libraries, and critical and comprehensive testing of attainment of the learners in individual subjects, an achievement not only of standard knowledge but with a wide perspective and related matters or information. It is a sort of research leading to that accomplishment, the evaluation of depth and bounds of knowledge of students in the subject and furnishing them with a sharp examining eye, the ability of marshalling and presenting subject topic etc and for and independent viewpoints. This must be the goal of the apex institutions of learning. Lower tiers of education must foster them from primary through the secondary level to universities.
   If teachers are there, books or libraries are not there or are not of the required standard, then quality education is still not impaired. For teachers, students can look for them elsewhere till their libraries have adequate and authentic books. Of course, if required libraries are not around or are not within reach, it creates problems. When recommended teachers are unavailable, standard of education is bound to suffer or cannot be acquired. If teachers and books are available as suggested but method of evaluation is defective or does not asses merit correctly, both these essentials become almost useless or can contribute little to first rate learning. Here communicative method as used in learning English or objective questions, multiple-choice questions or structural package questions, etc. are of trifling use.
   And how essential is the form and nature of question for proper evaluation of merit of a student can be seen from the following: the sole reason for success in English at more than double the rate of Bengali in the SSC Examination in 2008. The percentage of pass in English is about 90 per cent, where the percentage has for long been around or below 40 per cent. It is the wonderwork of communicative English, multiple choice questions, etc. In such a case we can’t say that students having A+ have attained proficiency in English or a good ground in English grammar. In respect of students getting A+ in Bengali, we can say that their performance is brilliant as the questions were largely easy type. The latter type trains learners in expression ability and in systematic, logical and comprehensive presentation of a subject or a topic in some length while the objective questions, communicative English, multiple choice questions vitiates perceptive faculties and prevents acquiring adequate knowledge of a subject. As such questions do not assess appropriately the worth of a student in a subject, they can neither attain quality education. They do more harm than good to quality education or quality knowledge.
   NCTB English Text books—English for Today— from lower classes to class X introduced in the eighties and written in a kind of communicative English should be thrown away. As written for learning correct English or improving English learning on a wrong basis of learning a foreign language, they have failed ignobly in their objectives. Though a few decades passed away there is little or no improvement in English learning. The foundation of communicative English is listening to speech in English that is particularly absent in our schools and the very short-time drillings of sentence patterns in English class only has very insignificant effect. Our teachers do not have the ability to or do not speak in English. If some can, students forget them after that class because teachers of all other subjects teach in Bengali and all books are written in Bengali. The students do not talk in English with their friends nor with their neighbours nor with members of their families, in truth, no where. They do not even watch films, TV talks or broadcasts in English as they do not understand. Introduced more than a decade ago, the students have not improved their learning of English. The plan of bringing in structural questions for all subjects in place of essay type in practice now from class IX in 2008 and the replacing of essay questions by structural questions in IX class from 2010 will not only further deteriorate the already declined quality education, it will certainly, be disastrous for the whole education process as it will deprive the learners totally of the essentials with which the essay type equips an educated person. It is very clear that the thoughtless educational planners have not yet realised the essentiality of essay type questions and big questions in education system.
   Teachers come next. Teachers in the past were self-educated. Progress in their subject-based knowledge was made by their own urge, curiosity, and thirst for knowledge. They were competitive not only with teachers of their departments but also with teachers outside their own institutions for mastery of their disciplines or acquiring excellence in their profession. They were devoted and dedicated. They continued striving to be so even after acquiring the required degrees—Master of Arts/ Science/ Commerce, Ph.D D.LiTT, DSC, etc. Their single-mindedness was not distracted or dissipated as now by politics or the desire to ‘become’ something, securing a social position or for getting a high office unduly.
   Of course, in those times, their economic condition was not so bad, nor did they lose social respect, nor the worth a person is determined in, in terms of power or social status. These days the situation has turned on its head. Every citizen cannot but care about those, notably money. Social attitudes need to be changed and teachers’, especially those of lower levels, salary and perks should be increased considerably. It should at least be at par with those teaching in government institutions or with those in government offices having same qualifications.
   The tasks of teachers of universities are research and teaching. Research is necessary for attaining great learning acme of skills and attitudes and for imparting the acquired mastery to their pupils. Without investigation and searching, good education cannot be achieved, nor would be quality education attainable. This is what we observe among many teachers who have degrees after the second university degree. Many have published research papers or standard books on subjects and matters related to their disciplines. Many have research students working for higher degrees. And the teachers know that the degrees or research publications are not the end of knowledge. They are simply openings to a vast horizon of knowledge and they go on with their untiring efforts for improvement in knowledge, skills as they think that it is a life-long process. They also know as a matter of fact that their promotion or high academic position is got in that manner. And their promotion is made dependent on publication of research papers, articles and books on their subjects of teaching. They never involve themselves in politics, even they cannot imagine doing so.
   Things are different, in our country. There is politicisation of top posts including teachers along party lines. The teachers form a few panels on the basis of political parties, not a panel of all teachers as stipulated in the 1973 University Ordinance by flouting the best intention of the ordinance and twisting it to grouping a number of panels based on various parties’ politics. Thus a vice-chancellor is chosen from a panel of three partisans voted by a party panel and other high academic positions are also selected on partisan basis. Even the teachers are selected along partisan lines, although there are, selection committees with guidelines. The consequences are pernicious. The format is vitiating the educational atmosphere and quality education not only of universities and different educational institutions but also perverting the entire education system. The second is the politicians’ exploitation of teachers and students for their own interests, not for teachers’ and students’ or national good or welfare. The third is the greed of third grade teachers and perverted teachers for social status and high position without having the necessary erudition or scholarship, integrity or sincerity. And such teachers make statements about educational system particularly about matters in which they have little knowledge or understanding.
   Unless politics of teachers and students are given up, unless pursuit of the ordinance is in the right direction; unless top university posts are occupied by persons of great learning, outstanding integrity, sincerity; and unless teachers and high academic positions are given to worthy academics, I am sure there will be no improvement. Government and non-govt degree colleges are to approximate above and the process should begin in no time.
   Nuruzzaman Chowdhury, has served under the ministries of education and establishment in
   different capacities and taught at a number of public institutions. He retired as the head of Directorate of Inspection and Audit of the education ministry.

When you read a news story saying that ‘the United Nations called on Israel to stop demolishing Palestinian homes and put an end to the policy of forced evictions in East Jerusalem, warning that there are 60,000 Palestinians threatened of becoming homeless,’ you cannot but wonder about the role of the international organisation today and about the goal for which it was created on the eve of the victory of the forces of freedom against Nazism and Fascism and whether it is the same organisation authorised by history and the world’s peoples to guarantee the right to ‘self determination’? Is it the same organisation charged with ‘putting an end to colonialism’? Is it the same organisation which believes in the right of all peoples to freedom without discrimination in terms of race or religion? If it is the same organisation, why does it allow Palestinian civilians suffer from the brutality of armed settlers?
   The evasive and shameful language of the UN’s call comes in the context of the submission of the Security Council to the Zionist will, and consequently commits a historic disgrace in the form of ignoring the legitimate political, civil and human rights of the Palestinian people including their right to life and freedom. For the UN not to take any initiative or measure which leads to giving the Palestinian people the right to self determination will remain a disgrace in the history of the organisation which will never be removed.
   The Palestinians have been under a racist settler form of colonialism for over sixty years; and they are targeted with a campaign of ethnic cleansing launched by armed gangs of settlers supported by Israel’s police and army.
   This is unparalleled in the 21st century in terms of the crimes which include siege, murder, food poisoning, starvation, assassination, demolishing houses, scorching crops, destroying farms, raping prisoners, trafficking in the organs of captives and preventing Palestinians from moving between their villages, farms and schools.
   All this happens under the full gaze and silence of the ‘civilized’ world which fully supports the Israeli government and fully ignores the savage crimes committed each day by Jewish settlers and Israeli soldiers. This silence is also a crime against the Palestinian people, because it allows Israeli politicians and generals and their allies to carry on with their crimes against civilians and violate the Geneva conventions and international humanitarian law.
   The UN call on Israel to ‘stop removing [demolishing] Palestinian houses’ comes on the backdrop of demolishing the houses of the Hanoun and Ghawi families in al-Jarrah neighborhood in Jerusalem, and even removing the tent they built on the street near their house and confiscating its contents which consisted of covers to ward off the cold, and some utensils. The tent housed fifty persons of the two families who, up until a few months ago used to live in their home demolished by Israeli occupation soldiers in their policy of Judaizing Jerusalem.
   Every now and then, the UN or the EU acknowledge that ‘destroying the homes of Palestinians is a violation of international law’. But if this and the other crimes referred to above are violations of international law, why do not they move their conscience to protect the security of Palestinians? The question is: what will the United Nations or Europe do? Will they limit themselves to acknowledging that Israeli acts are in sharp contrast with the UN Charter and international humanitarian law, while armed Jewish settler gangs continue to murder, demolish and set fires in Jerusalem, Nablus, Hebron and other places without any deterrent and without being brought to account?
   If all these crimes committed daily against Palestinians do not amount to ethnic cleansing and genocide, what does? In America White settlers, centuries ago, used to throw contaminated blankets on Indians to kill them. Today, Israel’s rulers deprive Palestinians of food and medicine, burn crops and poison drinking water in order to kill the Palestinians or force them to leave. The UN calls this crime ‘forced eviction’. So, is there voluntary evection? After all the crimes committed by Israeli occupation forces and armed gangs of settlers, the UN only ‘calls on Israel to stop demolishing houses’. Maybe, it forgot to add, ‘please!’What Palestinian civilians urgently need now is an investigation into Israeli crimes to be reported to an international organisation which still retains some self respect and concern for what remains of its credibility.
   The crimes committed by Israeli occupation forces, the terrorisation of unarmed Palestinian civilians by armed settlers have become a shame for humanity which should not be tolerated. The acts of these settlers and their supporters in the Israeli government and financiers in the Western pressure groups return the world to the law of the jungle. Considering the shameful incapacity of the United Nations and president Obama’s reiteration of his commitment to ‘Israel’s security’ on the 14th anniversary of the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin by a Jewish settler — while he should have expressed an equal commitment to Palestinians’ security — makes it incumbent on the free people of the world and its intellectuals, including Jewish intellectuals, to raise their voice against Israel’s war criminals so that Jews are not eternally shamed for committing war crimes and genocides. They should not keep silent concerning these crimes and should not be satisfied with preventing Israeli criminals from travel. They should be brought to justice in the same way the world has brought to justice other criminals responsible for killing and occupation before them.
   Jewish intellectuals in particular should ask themselves why should their government be built on the ruins of the lives and freedom of another people; why their government should commit crimes of killing children, massacres, home demolition and assassination and then try to justify these crimes and blame all those who want to bring it to account? Why do not Jewish intellectuals face this historical moral dilemma in the Zionist entity?
   When Nazi Germany committed massacres against the Jews and other peoples, the Germans faced this dilemma and passed laws banning anti-Semitism. When the world paid the price of Japanese wars and ambitions, Japan took a historical and final decision against war. Why would Jewish intellectuals think they should justify all the acts of Israeli politicians and generals? How can they justify the fact that Ehud Olmert is prosecuted for financial corruption and not for his and others’ crimes against Palestinian and Lebanese children and civilians? Why do they even consider these criminals heroes who should be secured and defended? Why do they form governments consisting of criminals competing with their records in assassination, murder and massacres against Palestinian civilians? These crimes are crimes against humanity by any standard. Why do they not criticise, in their culture, their rulers who have the blood of children on their hands? Silent Jewish intellectuals are responsible for the continuation of crimes which bring them all eternal shame as a result of their silence concerning these crimes.
   The United Nations and the European Union, and all those who use evasive language in describing crimes which should prompt the world’s indignation and anger share the responsibility. History will condemn those who remain silent towards these crimes and will remember and thank only those who defend Palestinian children and the right of the Palestinian people to live in dignity, freedom, security and safety on their national soil.
   Bouthaina Shaaban is political and media adviser at the Syrian presidency, and former minister of expatriates. She is also a writer and professor at Damascus University. She has been a spokesperson for Syria and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005. She can be reached through nizar_kabibo@yahoo.com

A funny excuse

BGMEA president Abdus Salam Murshedy said that the trade unionism should not be introduced all of a sudden in the RMG sector where 80 per cent of the workers are female.
   It is absolutely a funny excuse. If females can be recruited for work then that means that they are responsible persons. Denying them of their rights to form trade union is gender discrimination and it is a crime.
   MH Khan
   Via e-mail

---