If the question is what is the most important thing to build a skyscraper? Jabbar will come with a strong foundation, right? If the question is, what is the most important thing to create an "ideal, ethical nation"? Probably the most correct answer should be primary education with moral knowledge.
If the foundation of the education system i.e. primary education level cannot create ideals, principles, ethics, honesty, behavioral habits, love of country, respect for people, affection towards the nation in the minds and thoughts of future generations, then it is never possible to form an ideal nation.
The rate of education in Bangladesh is increasing every year. But we all know the answer to how much we get from an educated person (such as good use, good service).
As a result, it is a matter of wondering what gift the education system will give us in the near future.
In the present reality, through this article, the role of regulators in improving the quality of primary education for the formation of an ideal nation has been briefly discussed and some recommendations have been made.
Past and present of primary education
When we went to primary school 20-25 years ago, the student attendance rate was very low. An average of 40-50 people per class.
Poverty, lack of awareness of parents, inadequacy of educational institutions, prejudices about women's education and various social barriers were the main reasons for this. The attendance rate of students in the school is now remarkable by eliminating these negative factors in the last two decades. Moreover, various practical initiatives of the government (such as distribution of free books, provision of tiffin, study without pay, etc.) are helping to increase the attendance rate of students in schools. It is true that the rate of education in the country is increasing with the Millennium Development Goals in mind. However, the kind of people who need basic human qualities to build an ideal nation or to serve do not seem to be emerging in the current education system.
Anyone with experience of receiving services in any country in the developed world will admit that those services are available from very few educated people in Bangladesh. The boy who is working as a peon or office assistant in a government department must be completing his primary education from some primary schools.
The question is, has this primary education system taught him - how to talk to people seeking services, what is his responsibility to the people, how his salary is paid. If anyone has no experience, please visit any government / private office in Bangladesh and talk to them.
I don't think anyone will return home satisfied. So the dream of building an ideal humble nation with the primary education system that cannot create the least courtesy, good manners, sense of humanity or responsibility towards the people is nothing but a fantasy.
Good manners, courtesy and honest advice are desirable to people. These things that people want are possible only when a person learns to acquire basic human qualities beyond the biblical education at the basic level of our nation-building, the primary education system. The following is a summary of some of the issues that are essential for the formation of an ideal nation with these moral standards:
(A) Ideal teacher with moral standards
Those who play the most important role in shaping the future of the nation are our respected teachers. An ideal teacher is needed to make an ideal citizen. In whose movement there will be imitative features in speech, behavior and knowledge. Which is very necessary in the current education system.
(B) Beautiful learning environment:
In addition to textbooks, a variety of educational pictures, posters, or materials in the classroom can be used to teach a lot of tenderhearted boys and girls. Pre-primary can be taught by doing the rules of daily life. Such as: how to eat, how to wash hands before and after eating, rules of using the toilet, the habit of doing your own work, etc.
(C) Responsibilities of Upazila level officers:
Each upazila has one education officer and more than one assistant education officer. One of whose responsibilities is to manage the primary education system and work to improve the quality of education. These officers should be in the workplace regularly, researching ideas for improving the quality of primary education, giving birth to at least 1 innovative idea every six months and taking practical steps to improve the quality of education. Beginning to solve the problems of the school concerned without visiting the school just to fulfill the quota.
(D) Telling history to future generations:
It is very important to pass on the history of the nation to future generations. A nation that does not know its history cannot create a beautiful future. Therefore, the glorious past history of the nation should be communicated to the new generation at the primary education level. They should be made aware of the birth of this country through great self-sacrifice with the goal and purpose in mind, otherwise they will develop a feeling of affection for the country.
(E) Primary education in changing attitudes:
One of the goals of the education system should be to change people's attitudes. An educated man is not supposed to differentiate between rich and poor, men and women, black and white in the same way as an educated man. Everyone should be considered as human beings, more people-oriented. But in reality, the more educated he is, the more he prefers to stay away from people, the more he stays behind in the office room. If so, then it must be understood that the education system in which he became a man did not play much of a role in changing his outlook.
(F) Formulation of merit based plan:
The father of the sleeping child is in the heart of all the children. No one knows what will happen to a child the next day when he grows up. But there are endless possibilities hidden inside him.
Among the children, some are very good in mathematics, some in literature, some in science, some in sports. The nation will benefit a lot if these children are nurtured on a merit-based basis and proceed according to the plan by nursing from an early age.
(G) Primary education in improving the quality of public service
Unpaid primary education system has been in operation in Bangladesh for a long time. Not only that, now scholarships and tiffins have also been arranged. Where does this money invested in for future generations come from? And what are the responsibilities and duties of the people whose tax money is used to pay for their education? What does that mean for them? These issues need to be explained to them at an early stage. Then when they grow up, they will learn to be responsible to the people and to be servants instead of lords of the people.
(H) Primary education in the formation of real life
The level of primary education should be such that children acquire practical knowledge on various subjects from infancy. In particular, pre-primary students should be given a textbook where they can learn a lot by looking at pictures. In the same way, they can be given practical knowledge and training on various topics (such as traffic rules, disaster relief, self-defense techniques, getting acquainted with different animals, etc.).
The importance of primary education in building a nation with an advanced mentality cannot be over stated. Therefore, it is necessary to identify the existing problems in the existing primary education system and move towards solutions. The conventional rule may increase the rate of education, increase the per capita income of the people, but the dream of building a developed nation with service-oriented ethics will never be fulfilled. Therefore, it is necessary to identify the existing problems of the primary education system and move forward quickly to solve them.