Photo : Messenger
The Ministry of Education is actively exploring innovative approaches within the conventional education system recently. Despite this, there persists an inability to establish comprehensive policies and laws governing high-cost English-medium schools. More than half of these institutions operate without government approval, revealing a critical gap in regulation.
Presently, education boards lack the capacity to effectively address these unapproved institutions due to the absence of specific policies and laws governing English-medium schools. Although the National Education Policy Committee of 2010 proposed legislation for managing English-medium schools, visible regulatory policies have yet to materialise.
These institutions currently fall under the registration policy of the Private Educational Institutions Ordinance of 1962, directed by the Ministry of Education in June 2017.
Despite an anticipated policy from the National Academy of Education Management (NAEM) in 2022, it has not materialised.
Kazi Khalikuzzaman, co-chairman of the National Education Policy Committee of 2010, told The Daily Messenger, “There is a necessity for a law or policy governing these institutions."
Kazi also emphasised the risk associated with numerous unregulated establishments.
Official records cite 139 English-medium educational institutions in the country. However, the English Medium Schools Association of Bangladesh (EMSAB) claims the existence of over 350 such institutions.
The absence of proper laws and policies results in individual schools making final decisions, enabling them to charge exorbitant fees from parents for various expenses, including tuition, examinations, and admissions.
Several students and parents have criticised these fees, considering them excessive and unjustified. Concerns have been raised regarding the allocation of these fees across different sectors for student welfare.
Educationists also expressed worries about the impact of these practices on educational quality.
Professor Tapan Kumar Sarkar, Chairman of the Dhaka Education Board, told The Daily Messenger, “The lack of authority to enforce registration on organisations is due to the absence of laws in the country regarding English-medium schools.”
SM Hafizur Rahman, a Professor of Education at the Research Institute of Dhaka University, emphasised the need to reassess national interests concerning the role of English-medium schools within the broader educational framework and society.
“If they are not brought under the law and policy just now, it will create a chaotic situation in the education system of the country. That's why the government has to be more proactive regarding the issue,” says Professor Dr. SM Hafizur.
“The total cost in these institutions for a minimum of one year of study costs from Tk 2 lakhs to Tk 40 lakhs,” added the professor.
According to the latest annual report of the Bangladesh Bureau of Education Information and Statistics, there are currently 139 English-medium educational institutions in the country. Among them, the number of 'O' levels and 'A' levels is 30 and 92, respectively. Apart from this, there are 15 junior schools.
However, the number of English-medium students in the country is 71,456, with an increase of 2,631 students compared to last year. And 9,666 teachers are in charge of teaching these students. Two more institutions are still awaiting approval in the country.
Messenger/Disha
