Education policy should reflect changing realities: speakers

The national education curriculum should be reformed to reflect changing global realities and train students to gain better opportunities in the job market, said participants at a roundtable arranged by Bangladesh Youth Leadership Center (BYLC) yesterday.

Speakers at the event -- joined by educators, development activists, and students -- stressed the need for teaching soft skills, practical skills, and 21st century skills, said a press release.

To facilitate a broader conversation on issues that matter to the youth, BYLC organised a youth leadership summit in 2018 where 350 university students and young professionals co-created a youth manifesto, outlining the youth’s priorities for the future.

The findings of the manifesto, which focused on quality of education and development of relevant skills, were presented at the roundtable.

“The government’s role is to act as a catalyst and set the tone for reform in education, and to create an innovative platform for students to express and learn. It’s our job to support the government in this regard,” said special guest, Dr Erum Mariam, director of Brac Institute of Educational Development. 

Shah Ali Farhad, special assistant to the prime minister, who was also a special guest, stated that in the past, the government worked to fill gaps in basic education infrastructure, but in the last five years, its focus has been on improving quality of education.

The government will work with teachers, students, and other stakeholders to chalk out a comprehensive plan on education for the next five years, he added. 

“It’s the collective responsibility of policymakers, development practitioners, teachers, and parents to help prepare the youth to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world, while also ensuring their mental and physical wellbeing,” said Ejaj Ahmad, president and founder of BYLC.

BYLC, the country’s first leadership institute, exists to build connections among youths from diverse backgrounds, equip them with leadership skills, and enable them to have high impacts in public, private, and civil sectors.