Pandemic exposes gaps in education system

With the number of coronavirus cases in Bangladesh jumping by around 300-400 per day and the ongoing nationwide shutdown extended to May 5, it is clear that we still have a long way to go in dealing with this crisis. Academics have warned that this prolonged shutdown will lead to a significant increase in session jams at public universities.

Many universities across the world have responded to the global shutdown by introducing online classes. However, the sudden shift to remote learning has exposed education inequalities within countries, including internet inequality—and Bangladesh is no exception. According to a report published in this daily, top administrative officials from public universities said that lack of facilities at institutions and uneven internet access for students, many of whom are now in their village homes, make it impossible to introduce online education. Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics' data shows that only 37.6 percent of households have access to the internet by any device from home, and only 5.6 percent of households have a computer or tablet.

In this situation, it is likely that introducing online education will further exacerbate the gaps in access to education, placing underprivileged students at a huge disadvantage. However, we must also question why the institutions themselves do not have the facilities required to provide distance learning. Last year, a World Bank report revealed how Bangladesh spends less than the South Asian average on education, and in this moment of crisis, it is apparent that this consistent underspending has taken its toll. Now more than ever, we need to rethink the archaic systems that are still in place in some of our best public universities and push for education that is more dynamic, utilising teaching tools and methods used around the world.

The Ministry of Education and university authorities must work together to come up with a solution that is more concrete than simply adding on extra classes once public universities are allowed to open. This may involve identifying the most underprivileged students and finding ways to improve their internet access in collaboration with telecom companies. It could also involve rethinking systems of assessment at public universities and moving away from the current exam-centred methods. It might not be possible to implement all solutions in the midst of the pandemic, but the current lack of access—depriving our students of their right to education—should lead to long-term changes in education policy that will aim to make it more accessible and equitable.