Masum Billah explores the inner significance of the book.
'Realizing Potentials' attempts to capture the vast initiatives in education made by both the public and private sectors in Bangladesh at its 45th year. The education scene the book covers ranges from 1971 to 2015 that means the author has given a try to place before the readers, researchers, educators and policy makers to think and decide what we need to do in the field of education.
Actually three fabulous research articles of 225 pages constitute the book exposing a good number of data, tables and useful information. National level policies, plans, achievements and challenges of all streams and subsectors of education are explored in the first article. The second one shows us a case study of BRAC, which has been engaged with primary education for two-thirds of the above period reflecting on quality and equity issues. Educational opportunities for the youth, their attainments and the labor force participation are brought into focus in the third article. The issues related to the Education 2030 and the fourth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) have developed a bridge between the past and future scenario of education Bangladesh provides. The future educators can receive assistance from the book to design what we should do in the strategic plan of our education.
A nation marches forward by the pushing of human resource development and for that a supportive environment emerges as a precondition. Social processes and education provisions together play the role of producing resourceful human beings who expose their ability to steer the nation forward. This is why the importance of education for upward social mobility and building a meritocratic, democratic society and polity has been recognized for centuries by many influential development thinkers. (Smith 1776, Marshall 1890, Dreze and Sen 1995) Policies, Achievements and Challenges in Education deals with ten chapters including its introduction and conclusion.
BRAC' Non-formal Approach to Primary Education contains seven chapters: The year 2015 marks the 30th anniversary of BRAC's journey for education of children. A unique model for non-formal education was developed especially to address this. Through this, BRAC was able to provide pre-primary and primary education to millions of children and adolescents. The number of pupils who received education from BRAC schools is less than that of the government schools, but as a single institution its contribution has been next to the government. This article analyses the quality of BRAC intervention in pre-primary and primary education, gathering data and findings from studies conducted during the past three decades.
Education for the Youth: Provisions and Attainments goes the title of part three which accommodates seven chapters starting with the trends in the youth population in the country, education provisions and attainments of the youth, along with the relationship between education and labor force participation. The findings reveal that education provisions for youth and their educational attainment have increased in Bangladesh over time. Today's youth have greater educational qualifications than those of any other time in the history of Bangladesh. A number of policy options are also discussed in line with the fourth Sustainable Development Goal and employability of youth.
In page 84 we see the author has touched the sources of financing in education which he broadly categorized four such as budgetary allocation under revenue and development heads, donation from wealthy people and financial intuitions/companies, and private expenditure by households. The first two were borne by the state, which have in turn, two sources-revenue and foreign aid. Foreign aid was also applicable for NGO operated educational programs. Wealthy people used to extend their hand to contribute to the cause of education and financial institutions established educational institutions and had stipend programs for meritorious students. Research has not been available to learn other mechanisms for financing education of Bangladesh.
A little bit historical background peeps into the book when we see the writer says that the system of today's Bangladeshi education inherited from British-India. This period witnessed the expansion of education among the masses. From the Wood's Education Dispatch in 1854, to the Bengal Rural Primary Education in 1930, a strong foundation of the education system evolved. The establishment of the University of Dhaka in 1920 as the second tertiary level educational intuition in the then Bengal under British colony, after the University of Calcutta bears testimony to it. Nine education committees or commissions were formed during the British Period, which formulated various suggestions for development of this field. Some initiatives were also taken during the Pakistan period. Five education committees or commissions were formed and reports were developed but no education policy was formulated. Very little improvement in the education sector was noted during that period. This might be the intention of the writer to tell us that this area receives scanty importance from the state as many decisions of education go into hibernation.
The author has voiced his concern over the necessity of technical and vocational education which can make the youth employable more quickly than general education. At the end of four and a half decades of independence, Bangladesh has the highest youth population it its history. They are also much ahead of previous generations in terms of school enrolment, years of schooling completed, and acquisition of literacy skills. If the trend continues, it can be expected that all youth in Bangladesh will have completed the full course of primary education and be literate within a short period of time. All these should have positive impact on youth employment and their lifestyle. Although some discussion was attempted in the first article about quality of primary and secondary education, an analysis of quality of education in the remainder areas was not possible due to lack of adequate research.
Therefore, we are in general, in the dark about the equality of education that the youth are acquiring at post-secondary phase. Studies specific to skills and competences of the youth and their relevance to work need to be initiated. Although growth was observed in each of the categories of education for the youth, it is clear that the provisions for technical and vocational education and professional education need more attention. Both provisions collectively accommodated only 11.5 percent of the youth students. On the other hand, universities observed more youth than these. The National Education Policy 2010 and the National Skills Development Policy 2011 rightly outlined the need for employable capacities of the youth. Academic Press and Publishers Library (APPL) deserves appreciation as it has taken the initiative to publish the book for the readers who have at least a little hunger for education.
The reviewer works for BRAC Education Program. He is a literary critic, writer and can be reached at
[email protected]
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