Unified, quality education system must for future nation-builders

A unified, quality education system for all is imperative to turn today's youth into skilled manpower for future Bangladesh, according to majority views of a recent survey. 

Ahead of the 11th national election, the Center for Men and Masculinities Studies (CMMS) and ActionAid Bangladesh unveiled findings of a survey conducted on 960 people, aged 15 to 35 years, at a programme at The Daily Star Centre yesterday.

CMMS conducted the survey between November 15 and December 7 to learn what the youth think the newly-elected government should do in their best interests and the areas of priority for them regarding implementation of the National Youth Policy 2017.

Around 44.3 percent of people surveyed were of the opinion that the new government should focus on ensuring quality education, followed by 26.5 percent prioritising employment.

To ensure quality education, they considered recruitment of meritorious teachers significant at primary and high schools with handsome salary packages.

“Our existing education system is creating division among the youth,” said Prof Rahmat Ullah, dean of Faculty of Law at Dhaka University.

“They are used for benefits of others, especially for political reasons,” he said, adding that actions for benefit of the youth were hardly visible.

A majority of the youth, 49.8 percent, wanted employment opportunities in public and private sectors. At the same time, a significant number of them, 36.4 percent, opted for self-employment, for which they think training and access to capital at low interest are two major requisites.

While speaking at the programme, Anowarul Haq, social department adviser at the Department for International Development (DFID), said it was a matter of concern that the youth had not given any view over corruption and that only a few, who accounted for 1.6 percent of those surveyed, wanted the next government to ensure safety from climate change risks.

A lack of interest in political participation is a worrying sign too, said AKM Mamunur Rashid, climate change specialist, UNDP Bangladesh.

Climate change will have a huge impact on agriculture, pushing for new strategies in agro businesses, speakers said. So, the youth should think of how they would ensure food security in future, they added.

While it is indispensable that youth would focus on how they would thrive, it is also necessary for them to come to leadership positions to be at the helm of their future. They should think of how the community or the country as a whole can grow, ensuring parity between different segments of the population, speakers suggested.

Young representatives of the disabled, transgender and marginalised people at the event insisted that parents, guardians and society should accept them for who they are and pave the way for them to contribute to social and economic development.

From Faraaz Hossain Foundation, Zaraif Ayaat Hossain (Faraaz's elder brother) said, “Faraaz had demonstrated courage for humanity.” Faraaz was killed in the Holey Artisan attack on July 1, 2016.

Those who work with the foundation put on a badge inscribed with “We are Faraaz.” “To me 'We are Faraaz' means selflessness; it means giving voice to others and giving power to people around us,” Zaraif said.

Talking about equality, experts pointed out some positive aspects that came out from the survey -- the participants emphasised the need for elimination of disparity between urban and rural youths and men and women, and elimination of economic discrimination.