Primary education

Photo: Amdadul Huq / Driknews

I am really disappointed to know that our government is planning to raise primary education to Class VIII. As an ex-student of Bangladesh Primary School, I would like to share the following with the readers, policy makers and concerned institutions. The Simon Fraser University, Canada conducted a study in 2006, the author was Sandra Nikolic, titled "Educating the future: Raising the quality of primary schooling in Bangladesh". This study investigates the low quality of primary school education in Bangladesh. Elite interviews suggest that GoB (Government of Bangladesh) primary schools fail to provide students with quality education, demonstrate poor teacher performance, have overcrowded classrooms, and weak management and administration. Quantitative analysis of parents with primary-aged children reveals that of the four principal primary schooling options available, public primary schools are more likely than other primary schooling options to exhibit components of poor quality. The findings indicate that parents are equally concerned about male and female education; that administration functions are a matter of concern, and that poverty is an overarching barrier to attendance and retention rates. The important policy message is the need for establishing a system of accountability of school performance to parents and communities. All stakeholders, in turn, should be involved in partnerships affecting primary school conditions.