'Take steps to implement Nat'l Education Policy'

Speakers at a discussion yesterday called on the government to initiate the process of implementation of the National Education Policy 2009 based on the broader consensus of opinions on this issue.
A vested quarter has been running a smear campaign against the policy in order to foil the government's effort to implement the policy, they said urging the countrymen to be united against such campaigns so that a modern, timely, scientific and realistic policy can be formulated.
Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) organised the discussion titled 'National education policy-2009: Review and call for implementation' at Shaheed Col Taher Auditorium in the city.
JSD President Hasanul Haque Inu MP said the new policy is a realistic proposal for ensuring a modern, timely and scientific education system of the country, though there is some incompleteness in it.
He further said that O and A levels, cadet colleges and kindergartens should be brought under the unitrack system.
There is a strong recommendation for religion and moral education in the policy and the policy also proposed to make the madrasa education modern and timely, he said, adding that militant and communal forces are spreading wrong impression about the policy.
Inu urged the government not to do anything hastily, rather consult with all before the implementation of the policy.
“Don't send the policy to cold storage,” he said urging the government to implement the policy within its tenure.
“We could not formulate an education policy even after 38 years and it's a big mistake for the nation,” he said and called on all to be united as well as alert against any kind of smear campaign against the policy.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmed, co-chair of the national education policy formulation committee, said it is not unnatural to have some weakness in any effort and this is not the end of the policy.
Many opinions and statements regarding the policy are coming and all those are being taken into consideration, he said, adding there would be necessity to bring changes in the policy in course of time.
The policy clearly states about secularism; it means everyone will perform his or her own religion and everyone will be respectful towards other religions, he mentioned.
“The main feature of the policy is inclusive as we propose to include all children irrespective of their races, colours, creeds, socio-economic backgrounds and geographical locations to the light of education,” he said, adding that its other features are moral education, vocational and standard education.
The implementation of the policy will have to be initiated as it has many strong basics to start the work, he said.
Asked about the rumour of losing jobs of teachers, he said the fact is that there would be a necessity of appointing hundreds of thousands of teachers in future if the policy is implemented.
Asked about the budget, he said it would take nine years to implement the policy and if the government allocates the budget for the education sector as per its pledge, there would be no crisis.
“The government will have to make a commitment to allocate adequate money for implementation of the policy,” he mentioned.
The speakers said it would be suicidal for the nation if the policy is not implemented only due to mere political impediments.
Sheikh Ekramul Kabir, member secretary of education policy formulation committee; Shirin Akter and Jafar Sajjad also spoke.