A model rural primary school

At a time when our education system is rife with problems, from quality and commitment of teachers to the method of teaching-learning employed in schools, the story of Khagrabari Government Primary School in Pabna comes as a pleasant surprise. On Thursday we reported how the teachers and management of this rural school have managed through their dedication to create a learning environment that most urban schools, with more funds at their disposal, fail to give their students.

With donations from the local community and the teachers, the school has introduced technology for multimedia presentations, a computerised attendance system, and put up inspiring paintings and murals. The chairman of Faridpur upazila council donated closed-circuit cameras to ensure a safe environment on premises. But, beyond these, the crucial factor here is that the teachers and the management are going the extra mile to ensure that education is enjoyable to students. This realisation is the key element that is missing from our education system today, as increasing focus goes to achieving GPA-5s in the myriad of exams at any cost. Education must go beyond memorisation and exam-passing, and teachers of Khagrabari Government Primary School, through their focus on multimedia, facilitating access to books, toys for younger children, are doing exactly what is needed to promote a love for learning for its own sake.

Reportedly, their efforts have borne results. But, with limited funds, there is only so much they can do. There is still a dearth of classrooms and teachers in the school, and the multimedia room has to be used on a rotation basis to accommodate all the classes. The education department should invest in this school so that their good work can be built upon, and also see what can be learned from here so that this approach to education can be expanded to other government schools as well.