'Shiksa Andolan Mancha� Launches Movement Against Government�s Proposed one stream Education at SSC level

Mukto-Mona Dhaka Contact

 

Published on February 13, 2007

Date line: Dhaka, November 28, 2005 

The Shiksa Andolan Mancha (Platform for Education-Movement) formally launches its movement to resist implementation of Government�s ill motivated proposed scheme of one stream Education at SSC level (class IX � X). It may be recalled that about a month or so ago the government all on a sudden declared that it is bringing in a major reshuffling in the curriculum and syllabus at SSC level from January 1, 2006. The first SSC examination under this new scheme would be held in 2008. The government further declared they have already made elaborate preparation to introduce the new scheme. Syllabuses have been framed, books are being written and selective publishers have been deputed to publish the books under new syllabus of all subjects so that these are available to the students in Early 2008. The government has made this decision of changing present system of curriculum at SSC level unilaterally to a new curriculum. It has already spent not less than 500 Crores of money (5,000 millions) in Bangladesh currency (~ US $ 80 millions). This money has been advanced by ADB (Asian Development Bank) as a loan. This means we the downtrodden common people have to repay this loan for a futile and harmful cause. With this money foreign expert advice has been, we believe, procured, consultants for implementation of project and learned advice of writing books etc must have been purchased and team of government representatives visited many countries to study the SSC level system in other countries.  

The nation did not know, the students and their parents did not know that such a major change is waiting for theme, _ that too all on a sudden. Without consulting the teachers, teachers� organizations, organizations related to Education and Culture, guardians nor the students, the government, backed by a set of bureaucrats, is trying to introduce this major change in our curriculum at the SSC level. The scheme, it wants to implement from the next year has been name �one stream education� (in Bangla: Ek Mukhi Shiksa).  

But What this change means ? 

Readers you might know that our lower level education is split into following tiers :

 

1.      Primary (Class I � V) : 5 years duration (ending the course at the age of 11 years)

2.      Secondary:

(I) : Lower Secondary (Class VI � VIII) (ending the course at the age of  14 years)

(II) : Secondary (SSC) (Class IX � X) (ending the course at the age of 14 years)

(III) : Higher Secondary (HSC) (Class XI � XII) (ending the course at the age of  16 years)     

It may be recalled that the Primary education is now compulsory and free (so called). And boys and girls enter at the age of six plus. Up till now, in general education system at Junior Secondary level (Class VI � VIII) same curriculum and syllabus are followed for all students. At the Secondary level i.e. from class IX specialization starts. At this level education is primarily split into three streams introducing broad specialization namely, Science, Humanities and Commerce. (See the appendix for its details). There are other streams as well called vocational and technical. At Higher Secondary level this specialization further strengthened so that learners became adequately prepared for entry into Higher education at the University/Engineering/Medical/Agricultural institutes. The HSC is in fact a linking between SSC and Higher Education as had been conceived by the Calcutta University Commission of 1917 headed by Sadler. 

The new system as intended by the government unifies the three existing stream (Science, Humanities and Commerce) into one single stream eliminating the present division. This means the concept of educating all students as is done at Lower Secondary Level is being extended for further two years i.e. up to Class X all boys and girls reading under general education system will follow same curriculum and syllabus. This the government has termed as Ekmukhee Shiksa (a combined or integrated education). (for details see appendix). The specialty of the scheme is to make religion and commerce education compulsory for all students. The Muslims will read Islam, Christian students - Christianity, Hindu boys and girls � Hinduism (Sanatan Dharma), Buddhists � Buddhism. Not only that, the pupils studying Islam will have to take Arabic language, Buddhist pupil � Pali, and Hindu pupils � Sanskrit. Thank God, the government did not instruct that Christian boys would have to read Latin. Making the religion as compulsory for the students of followers of 4 religions, the system does not say what the students would study who do not follow none of these religions.

 

What is the philosophy of this change ? 

The underlying ill intention of the government is to kill the secular character of the general education that we inherited from the British. The introduction of this so called unified education at the SSC level will give an Islamic bias, tilt and flavour to our education. Introduction of commerce education as compulsory at this level is to make our students business oriented. Output of such system will make our future generation religious minded and business oriented-, which will ultimately create a society infected with religious blindness and pleasure and luxury, devoid of free and scientific thinking. The objective of such a move on the part of the government is to produce a true Muslim, a true Hindu, a true Christian, a true Buddhist � whatever those terms mean, but not to produce a free thinker, a rationalist, a scientifically oriented mind capable of tackling problems based on reason, logic, and scientific procedure. If the government succeeds in its far-fetched design to produce a society divided into religion based water tight compartments the realization of an Islamic State from Modern Muslim State is just one step far. The present demands made by the Islamic Fundamentalists through terrorism and violence, to make our judicial system Islamic, our state to be run by Shariah laws, Education to be islamized are quite significant. Our government will soon start saying that this are peoples� demand we are just fulfilling these. These terrorists� activities are part of the design to achieve the goal of making Bangladesh an Islamic State like Pakistan and Talebani governed Afghanistan. Kheleda-Nizami Government does not hide their intention of islamising our general education when its mouthpieces say: 

1.      According Education Commission Report 2003, led by Maniruzzaman Mian the object of the Primary Education : �wk�v_�xi g�b me�kw�gvb Avj�vn& Zv� Avjvi c�wZ AUj Av��v I wek�vm M�o �Zvjv, �hb GB wek�vm Zvi wP��v I K�g� Aby�c�iYv �hvMvq Ges Ava�vwZ�K, �bwZK, mvgvwRK I gvbweK g~j��eva weKv�k mnvqZv K�i|� (To create in the minds of the learner absolute trust and faith in the Almighty Allah so that this faith inspires him in his thinking and work and helps blooming his Spiritual, moral and human values. � Free translation.)

2.      The object of �Secondary education�, among many things, the most important one has been stated by the spokesman of the present unification proposal at SSC level as, very similar and identical to Mia Commission�s utterances: *   

 

�me�kw�gvb Avj�vn Zv�Avjvi/ m��vi c�wZ AwePj Av��v I wek�vm Ges AK�w�g AbyivM e�wׇZ mnvqZv Kiv �hb Zv wk�v_�xi mKj Kg� I wP��vq �c�iYvi Drm wnmv�e KvR K�i Ges Zvi g�a� mvgvwRK �bwZK ag�xq, Ava�vwZ�K I gvbweK g~j��eva weKv�k mnvqZv Kiv| � (To help creating  in the minds of the learner absolute trust and faith in the Almighty Allah and true devotion to Him so that this acts as a source of inspiration for all learners in all their works and thinking and helps blooming his Social, Moral, Religious, Spiritual and human values. � Free translation.)

 

3.      In this matter the Education minister many a times uttered that the objective of introduction of this unified one stream curriculum at SSC level in general education is to bring closer to the Madrasah education and to remove the �vast inequality� between the two system of education. Instead of doing away with this so called religion based obsolete education system called Madrasah system, the government is trying to kill even the residual secular character of the general education by introducing this novel idea of unification of three specialization. If this is not the total surrender at the feet of the Jamatis and other Islamic fundamentalists on the part of Khaleda run administration then what else it could be ? 

4.      In conjunction with these statements I will request you to read the changed version of article 8(1A) of our constitution (introduced by General Zia) dealing with Fundamental Principle of State Policy which now reads as follows:

 

� (1A) Absolute trust and faith in the Almighty Allah shall be the basis of all actions.� 

Government of Khaleda and Nizami has every right to say, �Yes, we are strictly following our spirit of the constitution.�          

 

Govt.-Reasons behind the proposed change  

The government of Begum Khaleda and Matiur Rahman Nizami put forward following important arguments in its favour:  

1. �One stream education curriculum ensures a common outlook among the learners, whereas multi stream education curriculum creates division among the learners.�

2. �In multi stream education a learner has to choose a specialized stream of discipline (say commerce) at a tender age.�

3. �In many developing as well developed countries only a single channel education system exists.�

4. �A single channel system supplies a wide-based curriculum to the learners which they necessarily should learn and which is useful for working capability.�

5. In a single channel system smaller number of subjects is included as a result it saves wealth and provides effectiveness. It also provides a comfortable easiness for formulating school timetable, publication of books, holding public examination and marking scripts.

 

The Characteristics of the proposed one channel scheme 

The government claims that following characteristics are endowed with propose one channel system 

* giving more importance on self employment with a view to provide facilities for learning professional training for all learners- Agriculture, Home Economics and Computer-education have been included as compulsory elective subjects.

* relatively more importance has been given on History and Geography in Social Science.

* For the development of religious education and to give stress on fundamental conception on associated languages concerned matters have been included.

 

The object of the proposed Single stream Education at SSC   

According to government the object of the proposed scheme has been stated as � To increase knowledge, efficiency and widening outlook of the students so that the future generation can lead a healthy creative and perfect life.� Next these were elaborated through five points, which we need not go through.

 

Then the government paper elaborated in 31 long lists its purpose to achieve through these changes. This itself signifies what an ill thought out the scheme is. All these are wishful thinking and pious wishes, which were found in all Education Commissions Reports. Few examples will make our points clear-

 

* The knowledge, efficiency, view and sense of values that were earned in previous stages would be expanded.

(our comments- would any report on education say that their recommendation would contract the previously learnt knowledge ? So this is a faltu (nonsensical) statement.

* To increase capability of acquiring higher knowledge through the �application of knowledge�, analysis, synthesis, logical sequencing and problem solving.

(our comments: Do the authors of these high sounding words really understand what they are saying. Before acquiring these methodologies how one can acquire higher knowledge ?. At SSC level curriculum and syllabus must be scientifically oriented which will teach the students to helping to form an analytical mind based on reason logic and rationality.)

* To help the learners in increasing efficiency in the abstract thinking (Bastu nirpeksa) as well as in practical field, applying investigative techniques and scientific methodology under different backgrounds so that their skill in solving problems increases, and they could deeply understand the co-relation between man-made environment and technology and Man, nature and the society.

(our comments: again some high sounding words have been put together probably from some books without understanding real significance of those words. How could the learners acquire inquisitive mind and investigative attitude and scientific methodologies if the boys and girls are not exposed to such disciplines as mathematics and geometry, Science and Logic? The present scheme deliberately cut down these subjects to an elementary descriptive type level and other social sciences, which inspire the pupils to form freethinking and inquisitive mind and rationality. By putting unnecessary stress in religion and religion oriented languages- they are exposed to blindness and superstitions as against cultivation of rationality and logical thinking.) 

We do not want to enlist more such things enlisted by the author of the scheme. This expresses the confusing and unsystematic random thoughts on the part of author(s) of this scheme.  

Why Shiksa Andolan Mancha rejects the Scheme: The so-called one stream education at SSC level ? 

For the following reasons we reject the scheme and call upon the nation to reject it too.

 

1.      Firstly, from no corner- Students-Gurdians-Teachers, Teachers organization or Organizations related to Education, Cultural and Social Organizations, Educationists and individuals connected with Education any such demand have been raised. Nor any movement has been initiated by any organizations (Studens or Teachers) declaring that the existing present curriculum at SSC level dividing the system in three streams (Science, Commerce and Humanities) is bad and needs to be replaced by a single Curriculum combining three separate broad disciplines. The attitude of the government that they understand best what is good for Education must be done away with. Off late the education commission report 2003, led by Dr. Maniruzzaman Mian, a puppet of BNP and BNP led government, has suggested in its favour. Mr. Mian did what the government wanted, and teachers and students have rejected the report totally.

2.      Secondly, the government on all a sudden and very stealthily and cleverly has declared its intention to introduce the new scheme at SSC level without having meaningful discussion and exchange of opinions with teachers, teachers� organizations, judging students� sentiments who would be ultimately affected, guardians, and without having a national debate on this vital stage of learning system which has been accustomed by the Society for the last 42 years if we include our colonial period under Pakistanis.

3.      Thirdly, the compulsory Religious Education coupled with learning of Arabic, Sanskrit and Pali and Commerce Education would make our future generation- infected with religious obscurantism, and pleasure and luxury, devoid of free and scientific thinking. If this system is forcibly introduced cultivation of intellectual liberalism and freedom and blooming of freethinking would be definitely impeded.

4.      Fourthly, this retrograde proposal of unifying three stream of Curriculum at SSC level will definitely narrow down and contract the scope of Science-, Mathematics-, Economics-, even Social Sciences-, and Commerce-Education.  as these are compulsory for all students irrespective of their merits, bent of mind and interest. The standard of education of these subjects surely will have to be lowered down because these subjects have been made compulsory for all students irrespective of their merits, bent of mind and interest.

5.      Fifthly, not very far away in time scale, a significant change was brought in the curriculum of from Primary to HSC level in the name of modernizing our curriculum and syllabus and new style books have been written and published incurring huge amount of money whose far reaching result and net effect yet to be perceived or felt- its success and failures yet to be analysed by the experts, students, teachers, educationists and people as a whole. But before doing this, another major attempted jump (a big change) will not lift us anywhere, instead this attempt will let us down in a deep trough. Repeated experimentation with young minds is surely not only desirable but harmful too.      

6.      At present the success of SSC Examination falls between 40-50%. If this scheme is implemented the percentage of success will deteriorate significantly, we are afraid. Should we on the one hand lower down the standard of education, and on the other hand increase the percentage of failures thereby creating a huge unemployment every year. Do you want to turn ourselves a half educated nation ?

7.      The so called school base evaluation, although looks good apparently, will expand already existing corruption in schools and timid and helpless teachers would be exposed to pressure of socially influential local circle � the pressure will be difficult to withstand on the part of these teachers. 

8.      The reasons, which the government spokesmen are using in favour of introducing the scheme, not a single one is acceptable. These arguments do not stand on tests or trials. All these are false but clever arguments with intention to deceiving and outwitting the nation.

9.      If we accept that �up to certain level all students have to pass through a common curriculum and syllabus� as a principle, which is now followed in lower Secondary level in general education system, then system of Madrasah education must be done way with and must assimilated in a single united secular-scientific minded-universal system of Education. This would be the truly single stream education system.

10.  Under the present Secondary education except in a few schools in Dhaka city there are practically no science laboratories absolutely necessary science teaching. As a result a vast distance of disparity exists between the schools of the village and the city based schools. More over dearth of science teachers and mathematics teachers have increased the difference manifold. Even the commerce teaching could not be pursued efficiently because of want of teachers. The same story is with English teaching. If the new system is forcibly introduced which needs each school is to provide proper facilities of science teaching, many schools have to be closed down. Even if some schools run with meager facilities, the number of failures would be manifold. The education will be limited (in fact it has already been) within cities and it will be a matter of some privileged class.

11.  For the study of religion it is a necessary, envisaged by our education masters, the students studying Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism must study Arabic, Sanskrit and Pali. Thank God these masters did not prescribe that Christian students have to take Latin. We fail to understand why, as for example, to study, understand and follow Islam, students have to learn Arabic. Will we then attempt to introduce Arabic in our Mass education curriculum because large population of Bangladesh follows Islam? What a imprudent thinking ! What subjects will study those students who do not practice none of those 4 religions and what language ?

12.  Without developing a scheme to assimilating different streams of education system like religion based Madrasah, and Chatuspathi-tols and so-called English medium education in the general secular education system, the attempt to unite three disciplines- science, commerce and humanities and prescribing a common curriculum for all at SSC level in general education system is a clever fraudulent. Keeping the Madrasah Education almost intact those who by killing the secular character of the general education attempts to infuse religious bias in it and wants to unite two parallel streams (Madrasah and General) artificially, wants to give a bluff to the nation. There is no doubt about it

13.  As a result of bringing in these changes in curriculum, syllabus - a huge amount of money would be involved. Who will supply- ADP, World Bank ? New books have to be written, afresh and again, and teachers have to change their outlook. But why we should do it, for what reasons ? The reasons which the government put forwarded stand no where- those are only a kind of craftiness flavoured with evil intention.

 

Under this backdrop �Shiksa Andolan Mancha� calls upon the people of the country to resist the government�s ill thought scheme of so called one stream educational curriculum at SSC level with the slogan : 

�Stand against the fraudulence in the name of One Stream Education: Call to the nation� (Z_vKw_Z GKgyLx wk�v e�e��vi bv�g c�ZiYvi wei��� i�wLqv `uvovI : �`kevmxi c�wZ Avn�vb)                        

In contrast  to this fraudulent attempt of introducing so called one stream education at SSC level �Shiksa Andolan Mancha� calls for truly one stream secular education system. Our slogan is : �Universal, non-discriminatory, secular, science based and single channel Education System.�  (me�Rbxb, �elg�nxb, �mK�yjvi, we�vbwfw�K I GKgyLx wk�v e�e��v) 

Let us elaborate those basic points.

 

1.      What do we mean by the term �Sarbajanin� in Bangla ? We are all familiar with English word Universal. We used the word �Sarbajanin� to express this meaning. Our cherished education system would be open to all irrespective of religion, colour, caste or sect, community, gender and socio-economic status- rich & poor. This universality is not confined within our state boundary- any citizen of any country can come to learn through our education system. The equality is not confined to social status only, our universal education system will offer scope of learning all branches of knowledge and disciplines of the world. All these concepts have been embodied in the word �Sarbajanin�(universal).

 

2.      What do we mean by the word Ԉelg�nxb� (non-discriminatory). By this word our intention to eliminate all sorts of discrimination and differences existing in our present education system has found expression. Discrimination and differences exist in different stages � firstly from time immemorial diverse, even oppose or contradictory to each other, system of education are in vogue in parallel to each other having no correlation with each other. As a result our educated class coming out through diverse systems are confined in one�s watertight compartments in their mind and mentality, in the quality of their achieved knowledge, in their thought and analytical capability and in their outlook attitude towards the society and the country. There practically exists no interrelation between one class of people with other as a result of which no interaction and intermingling take place among the people, which are very much essential for making a developed society. For this very reason, between a madrasah educated Moulana (Alem), an output of Madrasah education and a A-level passed smart young man, an output of so called English Medium based education a sky-like infinite distinction being constantly generated in their respective philosophy of life. There exists discrepancy in having facilities between male and female students, between village and urban based education facilities, between rich and poor etc. Our proposed education infrastructure would make no discrepancy between village and town, between upper and lower social positions, between religion and religion and among social cases. The education system that promises to make equal facilities available to a student living in a distance village or living in a city-bustee we may term a non-discriminatory. The system that holds and preserves the concept of universalism is the true non-discriminatory education system, which will make a student a true human being, just not an honest Hindu, an honest Muslim nor an honest Christian Bangladeshi.

3.      The word �Secularism� is a very touchy and at the same time a hateful word to the present government which carries a meaning �devoid of religion� to them. We emphatically say that secularism is such a social system whose fundamental basis is composed of such concepts as- humanism, pluralism and unity in diversity. As we want to see secularism is deeply rooted in our state-life, in a similar way we want secularism with its true spirit reflected in our education system. In other words it means there would be no such education system that is reserved for followers of a particular religion or class. There would be no significant role of religions in our curriculum, syllabuses or in composition of textbooks. Pupils belonging to all religions, all classes, all communities must have education through a single and unitary system of education through which the learners will develop the sense of humanism. This is what we mean �secularization of education�. 

4.      What we mean by �Science based education�? There is a misconception associated with this term. Many thinks that we speak of giving primarily of education on science subjects. This concept is however not true. In our education system the student when passed through it becomes a scientific minded, will possess mind of freethinking, liberalism and rationalism. Nay, the object of the proposed education system is not to produce only scientists, engineers, doctors or agriculturists. What we mean is that through our education system we want to make our learners analytical based on facts and proofs making them capable of solving a problem(s) as a scientist does, where superstitions or blind faith have no place. Through this process a free and liberal minded society would immerge. This is what we call scientific or science based education.

5.     Now what we mean by �Ekmukhi� (GKgyLx)? The term may translated in English as one stream or unitary, not �mono-disciplinary�. The clear meaning of the term is that a learner acquires his education and thereby knowledge in different disciplines from primary to highest level of education a unitary form of education system. If we could establish such a unitary or one stream education in our life, then currently existing different streams of education giving systems such as �general education�, �madrasah-maktab-tol-chathuspathi� types of educational infrastructures, and the so called �English medium education from kindergarten to O/A level� will automatically get dissolved. At present in �general education system students� receive education having same curriculum and syllabus from primary to lower secondary level (class I to class VIII). After lower secondary level, at Secondary level (class IX-X), the students are offered specialization in three broad disciplines namely (i) humanities, (ii) science and (iii) commerce. At higher secondary level (class XI � XII) this specialization is followed at an advance level. This stage is primarily a preparatory stage for entering into higher education in a more specified and distinct field.  

Shiksa Andolan Mancha held a Press conference 

Shiksa Andolan Mancha formally launches its movement against the government proposed so called one-track education at SSC level through a Press conference held on October 27, 2005. Professor Ajoy Roy, President of the Platform read out the press statement pointing out the flaws and errors in the government proposed scheme of unifying the present three streams namely science, humanities and commerce into a single stream. The reasons behind rejecting the government proposal have been outlined above. The press statement is attached as an appendix.  

Before launching the formal movement The Education platform leaders held series of discussion meetings with various student organizations, Secondary school teachers, guardians and intellectuals of various professions. As an example we met with student leaders of Students United Federation on 22nd September and then with leaders of Students Union on the following day. On 24th September Shiska Andolan Manch held an elaborate meeting of exchange of views on the issue with various categories of teachers, guardian representatives and general students and people of different professions. There we chalked out a long-term programme of action. It was decided that movement must be carried out united, if possible from a common platform. Shiksa Andolan Manch offered its own platform to be used for the movement to nullify the government move.  

Go To: Next Part

    

Attachment (Bangla):

  • Kothito ekmukhi shikkhar Biruddhe Rukhe Daran (Page-1 | Page-2)
 

*  The gentleman concerned is a Professor named Mr. Muhammad Ali, erstwhile member NCTB, National advisor to Primary and Mass Education affairs, ministry of Education. Now an active worker to make three stream education into a single stream education.

Mukto-Mona Dhaka contact is the representative of  Mukto-Mona from Dhaka. 

 

Part  1  2