Moving primary education forward

The Primary Education Development Program, PEDP II, (2004-2009) is the main national program for improving primary education, with a price tag of $1.8 billion. Eleven donors are supporting it. Its mid-term review is planned for October 29 to November 12. In spite of the promise from donors and the government to be transparent and open in consulting and involving stakeholders such as concerned NGOs and research institutions, the review appears to be a close-door process between the government and the donors.
The Macro Plan for PEDP II, with a focus on "access with quality," proposed eight "dimensions" for it. At the mid-point of the program, how is it doing in these dimensions?
PEDP II baseline survey in 2005 reveals 47 per cent dropout between classes 1 and 5.
A workable strategy and program to address the high dropout and "virtual exclusion," -- those who are enrolled but are often absent from class and learn little -- need to be put in place.
Some 20,000 classrooms constructed or renovated, and about 14,000 teachers recruited so far, are important contributions to improved access and quality. Some of the construction has replaced dilapidated or hazardous classrooms, and some of the new teachers have replaced annual attrition. The real impact appears to be limited to increasing the current very low contact hours for learning and making the class size smaller.
The key to quality improvement is capable teachers and adequate learning materials in the classroom. New approaches to teacher training and supervision of teachers are still to be put in place. Teachers' guides, student workbooks, or essential learning aids are yet to be provided. NGOs and academic institutions, which have developed some of these materials and methods, could assist in trying out strategies if they were involved actively.
Concrete steps are yet to be taken to give greater authority, responsibility and resources to schools, with accountability of schools and teachers to parents and community -- a goal of PEDP II.
A trial involving academic and research institutions of School level Improvement Plan (Slip), anticipated in the Macro Plan, could show the way if it were designed properly and undertaken collaboratively with appropriate research institutions. A plan or initiative is yet to be developed for comprehensive and coordinated area-based local planning involving all main actors and providers of primary education to ensure that all eligible children have access to primary education of acceptable quality.
Upazila resource centres are yet to build up their capacities to become an effective support to schools. Upazila Primary Education Plan (Upep), foreseen in Macro Plan of PEDP II, could be a mechanism for upazila planning and management capacity building, but a serious plan or strategy for this purpose is yet to be formulated.
Substantial enhancement of quality in teacher training, curriculum and learning materials are at a discussion stage. PTIs have been pushed to offer double shift teacher training, which will show an increase in the number of "trained" teachers, but the quality and value of this training remain questionable. PTIs have serious deficits in staffing. The process of making the training more effective and practical is progressing at snail's pace.
A significant structural change has not been adopted at the national curriculum and textbook board to make it a professional body. Its capacity to institute a continuing curriculum development process or providing effective curriculum implementation support remains weak.
The mid-term review can be an opportunity to consider course correction for the second half of the program, and to start thinking about longer-term needs. Areas that need urgent attention are:
Teacher's guides and workbooks, and essential learning materials besides textbooks, should be provided to teachers and students. A good amount of material has been developed by NGOs and at Brac University Institute of Educational Development, and are based on the official curriculum and are available for immediate use.
Primary teacher training needs to be more practical and effective. The National Academy of Primary Education and the PTIs can work collaboratively with national institutions and NGOs to adapt methods and materials that have been developed and tried.
Piloting on a small scale in each division should be undertaken at school level and upazila level for planning, decision-making, and greater control over resources -- moving towards decentralised planning and management, and core curricular and school provisions standards in all schools. Full use should be made of committed and capable NGOs and academic institutions in piloting, research and development.
NGOs should be supported and encouraged to expand pre-schools, already begun on a sizeable scale by them -- especially for first-generation learners from disadvantaged families.
A trial should be undertaken of school and community-based construction and repair of school facilities through local project committees; it has worked very well in neighbouring countries; and the current centralised arrangement for construction through LGED is not known for quality, efficiency and probity.
A change in mindset is needed to work in cooperation with all who can contribute. An independent committee composed of people with relevant background, and active in education, may be useful in advising the government on breaking the psychological barriers.
Issues that cannot be addressed within the present scope of PEDP II, but are critical for primary education development, must be given attention. They include:
Development of minimum standards for school provisions and a common core curriculum for all children and all types of primary schools in order to establish a unified primary education system, although there may be a diversity in delivery of services. These include government and registered non-government schools, government-aided madrasas and private schools, as well as NGO-run non-formal primary education not included in the official list.
Substantially increasing public resources; allocate them on the basis of child population in each upazila, and utilise them to achieve quality and equity objectives based on local, decentralised and school-level planning.
Per student government expenditure in a year is one of the lowest in the world -- under Taka 2,000 per student -- and is not adequate enough to ensure acceptable quality.
Exploring and developing new modalities of partnerships among government and non-government actors in the country, and with external development partners, to develop and implement strategies to achieve the 2015 "education for all" goal, and build capacities for this purpose.
The opportunity for necessary course correction should not be lost. This can be done effectively if major stakeholders are involved.
Dr. Manzoor Ahmed is the director of Brac University Institute of Educational Development (BU-IED).