English Medium Schools (Bangladesh) should Reopen Soon

Masum Billah, Dhaka, Bangladesh : The English medium schools and the private universities have drawn serious  criticism in  the wake of terror attacks at Gulshan and Sholakia,. Many parents of the English medium school students are not sending their wards to the educational institutions while some others are sending the children against their will. Also, a number of schools are yet to reopen after Eid -Ul -Fitre  holidays on security grounds. As the attackers of Gulshan Holey Artisan Bakery killed mostly foreigners, many think Western citizens, culture and education may be the target of the religious zealots. Guardians are not satisfied with the security measures taken by the school authorities. Some guardians are worried over the linkage of some English medium students with the religious fanatics. It is learnt from the newspapers that the government is also not interested in English medium schools. Even the exact number of English medium schools is not recorded in the register of the government. Some newspapers say the number is more than 350 whereas in the government register it is seen 159. But interestingly, the government is collecting seven and half percent VAT from each and every student of this medium. Some protests came in this regard but not in the form of demonstration or procession, so the government did not change its decision regarding this matter. But the government is not taking any steps regarding reopening of the English medium schools even after more than one month vacation. The guardians are not satisfied with the existing security measures which are not strong enough to thwart any untoward incident. Some renowned English medium schools are delaying their reopening. They are keeping the guardians of students updated about the likely reopening of the schools through text messages. Many guardians are worried about the future of their children after they came to know that students of English medium schools are getting involved in militancy. But this is not a universal thing. Some students might have done it. For this reason the whole system cannot be blamed and mass students of this medium cannot be taken as hostage. From now on, the schools and the guardians must look into all the matters of the students whose works and behavior show any difference. The long or continuous closure cannot bring any solution.

The English medium schools conduct the academic activities in accordance with the curricula of the foreign universities. Besides, many foreign teachers teach the students in the English medium schools in the capital.  So, it is quite possible that the schools might be targeted by the militants. Due to this rumor many parents are not sending their children to the school after the Eid vacation. Some parents have already changed the school. I advocated many a time to establish a separate education board or a strong wing in the Ministry of Education or Dhaka Board to run and see the affairs of English Medium schools of the country. I have seen some educated individuals are dead against English medium schools. But I have a different opinion. In the English medium, the private tuition and the burden of examination have not taken the alarming shape as we witness them in Bengali medium. English medium students get opportunity to exercise their creativity as they read many books written by foreign writers who are really creative. Whatever, we say and argue our NCTB books cannot satisfy the needs of the students of the present day world. Nor do they attract the students. But English medium books are very attractive and full of necessary and latest information. Finally, we can say that most of the students though not all can develop a strong footing on English which is a global language and English medium students develop their skills in this language without facing any extra pressure. Due to the situation of this medium, they acquire this quality. All these are positive aspects of the English medium education. Now we should ensure that the English medium students learn our culture, Bengali and moral education. The government must take these things into account. English medium schools follow Oxford and Cambridge syllabus. On the plea of this, the government should not neglect this medium. A huge number of English medium students go abroad who send a large  amount of foreign exchange to the country which we cannot afford to disagree.

The Mastermind and the Sunnydale schools are still shut after the Eid holidays. Parents of the students of these schools don’t know when the schools will reopen.
The Delhi Public School (DPS) is yet to start classes, though it was scheduled to reopen on July 17.
The Scholastica School, a prominent English-medium school in the city, was scheduled to reopen on July 27 after the Eid vacation, but the school authorities deferred the reopening of the school to the first week of August.  I think in this situation the school authorities must have a meeting with the ministry of education and decide reopening the schools immediately. Another Eid is approaching. If they still don’t open the classes, it may extend up to next Eid which means many days loss of the school academic calendar and the students will be the victims.

Cambridge works with schools in 160 countries. Guy Chapman, deputy director, International Network, Cambridge International Examinations and Ruchira Ghosh, regional director, South Asia visited Bangladesh several two months back. They commented on teachers and examinations. Explaining the overall philosophy of Cambridge International Examinations in its approach to education they said, “Our aim is to support student’s education through a syllabus that is relevant, and gives them the skills they need to get into university and get on in life beyond formal education.” Emphasizing education does not start with exams: it is important to assess what is learnt, and for reasons of social equity it is hard, perhaps impossible, to avoid the use of exams as an instrument of formal assessment. Ruchira Ghosh and Guy Chapman said, clearly learning not exams and tests, is the purpose of education. Examinations should be designed to encourage, recognize and reward desired learning. Those should not be regarded as an end in themselves which we do in Bengali medium education and English medium education still following this reason.

Teachers are those who remove the children from their mother’s care and raise them as the words of the state with great care and provide them with the best education and its problems at various levels. Teachers are the ideals of the society, who must understand the vision as well as the philosophy of education. Every teacher must be a philosopher because they deal with education and its problems and because its methods are similar to those of philosophy. Education in the largest sense is the act or experience that has a formative influence on the mind, character or physical ability of an individual. In its technical sense, education is the process by which the society deliberately transmits its accumulated knowledge, skills and values from one generation to another. Let us exercise these values, morals and skills in both English and Bengali medium schools without encouraging to discriminate them.

(Masum Billah :Works in BRAC Education Program as an specialist and writes regularly on various national and international issues, Cell: 01714-091431, Email: [email protected])