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MASUM BILLAH

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The nation has just observed its 40th Victory Day anniversary and stepped into 41st year of our achievement of freedom. Our greatest achievement in the 20th century at the cost of supreme sacrifice of our heroic sons is our freedom but the real spirit of freedom struggle still stands far apart from the reality. Political factors stand prime barriers to materialize the dream of our liberation struggle. What percentage of freedom we have achieved in terms of education, getting health facilities from the state, social security, freedom of speech and human rights still remains a big question.

We have achieved some progress in primary education in terms of the increase of school going children but not in terms of acquiring competency level. Still seventeen percent children don't go to school at all. The fruit of freedom has not yet ripened even after 40 years for these children. This percentage shows much higher in ‘haor’ and ‘monga’ and ‘hilly’ areas. In the secondary level pass percentage is increasing every year without ensuring quality. It has become a national mania to make the students pass in the public examination whether they have the ability to pass or not.

MD. JALAL UDDIN

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As per govt. decision the directorate of secondary and higher secondary education has recently appointed as many as 1377 assistant teachers in the secondary level for the double-shift schools. Regrettably, a number of them have not joined their jobs. Perhaps they have got the job else-where better than teaching profession. It is clear that talented and capable young people are not at all interested in this profession due to lack of both honor and honorarium. That’s why the teachers of Govt. High Schools have been demanding first class status for a long time. But like all other govt. the present Govt. is also not paying heed to this. If things go like this teaching profession will not see brilliant persons and ultimately the country will be intellectually deserted. Little research has been conducted on teacher job satisfaction and motivation in Bangladesh. Educational researchers and officials, however, believe that overall levels of teacher job satisfaction and motivation are extremely low in both primary and secondary schools (except Head Teachers of government secondary schools).

MASUM BILLAH

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Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, the founder and chairperson of BRAC, was honoured with the third World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) in Doha on November 01, 2011. It is the recognition of his four decade long contribution to reduce poverty through education in Bangladesh and for spreading its model to other parts of the world. 1300 delegates across the world participated in the session. A uniquely designed gold medal with the word’ education ‘in over 50 languages was presented to Sir Abed. In addition to it, $500000 was awarded to him. “It’s great privilege to receive such a prestigious award. The recognition belongs to BRAC the organization I founded 40 years ago.”- Sir Abed said.