Red tape hinders initiatives
Bureaucratic hurdles often hamper implementation of major decisions taken to resolve long-standing problems in the education sector said Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid yesterday.
The government is trying to achieve the maximum in minimum time in this sector through sincere and effective efforts, he said.
Nahid was addressing as the chief guest at a presentation on the findings of a research “Education Watch 2009-2010 Report”, titled “Exploring low performance in education: The case of Sylhet division” at a hotel in Sylhet.
Two non-government organisations, Friends in Village Development, Bangladesh (FIVDB) and Campaign For Popular Education (Campe), which conducted the study, organised the presentation.
Adviser to a former caretaker government Rasheda K Chowdhury moderated the event while FIVDB Executive Director Zehin Ahmed briefed on the issue. Samir Ranjan Nath, a member of the research team, presented the findings.
Nahid said the government is aware of the problems in the education sector but overnight changes cannot be expected, as fund constraint is a major factor.
The government will take measures in meeting regional disparity faced by Sylhet, lagging behind in the national index on education, he said.
The research said the region's constraints are related to social stigma; lack of economic solvency; regional and environmental barriers; migration of locals etc.
Of the country's total number of children supposed to attend primary and secondary level educational institutions, 6.4 percent reside in Sylhet. But of this percentage, only 7.8 percent actually attend primary level while 3.9 percent attend secondary level, said the research.
Primary level educational institutions there were found lacking in school facilities but secondary level education institutions were better off. Both institutions saw a shortage of teachers, said the research.
Children in haor areas found it hard to attend schools due to the unique geographical reality there and those in tea gardens had poor access to education.
The research suggested setting up more schools in both the areas while expatriates of the region could be encouraged to contribute in the sector through a fund to be run by an autonomous authority.
Sylhet city Mayor Badar Uddin Ahemd Kamran; Standing Committee Chairman of the law ministry Suranjit Sengupta; Shahjalal University of Science and Technology Vice Chancellor (VC) Prof Md Saleh Uddin; and Leading University VC Prof Kabir Hossain addressed the function.
Sylhet Board Chairman Prof SMA Khaleque; Joint Programme Director of Ministry of Primary and Mass Education Chowdhury Mufad Ahmed; Golapganj upazila Chairman Iqbal Ahmed Chowdhury; and Jamalganj upazila Vice Chairman Shamima Shahriar also spoke.
Roshomoy High School Headmistress Anjali Prova Chowdhury; Imam Training Academy Assistant Director Shah Mohammad Nazrul Islam; District Primary Education Officer Nurul Amin Chowdhury; Sylhet Government Pilot High School Headmaster Jahgangir Kabir Ahmed, Rajab Ali Khan Najib and AK Sheram also spoke.
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