The Overall Educational Scenario

There are three nationally recognized public education systems in Bangladesh: the secular general education system, the technical-professional education system and the Islam-oriented religious education represented by the madrasah system. Each of these has their own curriculum of learning in line with the national curriculum and textbook board authority in the country. They are organised into five tiers of learning: i) Primary, ii) Junior, iii) Secondary, iv) Higher Secondary, and v) Tertiary. Primary, junior, secondary and higher-secondary education takes place in primary schools/ Ebtedayee madrasahs and high schools, and technical/vocational institutes, respectively. Tertiary education takes place in universities. There are also specialised colleges and universities for further higher education in engineering, technology, agriculture and medicine.

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The ‘education system’ refers in most cases to general education, both public and private. It takes 16-17 years of schooling from primary to postgraduate Masters-degree level. The Technical-professional education system provides courses related to various applied and practical areas of science, technology and engineering education. It focuses on a specific specialized area, ranges from three months to four/five years of learning.

This kind of education is, usually, the 1-3 year schooling of technical education imparted in vocational learning institutes, after 8 years of general schooling. The madrasah education system is the religious Islam-based education in religious environment parallel to general education, with 17 years of schooling.

Bengali is the primary medium of learning instruction. English is optional. Some madrasah courses are offered in Arabic. Private schools tend to use English as the language of instruction. All three systems are regulated by the board of authority, the Education Board. Alongside the national educating system, private English-language schools cater to affluent, mostly urban, pupils and offer O and A-level equivalent courses.

Religious-based public education parallels the general secular education system. It emphasizes the Arabic medium and is regulated by the Bangladesh Madrasah Education Board, which operates within the Ministry of Education. Table 13 below gives an overview of the Bangladeshi education system.

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Table 13: Educational category and their levels in Bangladesh

Besides the public madrasah system, a number of private organisations also offer traditional Islamic learning and teaching facilities to Muslim students. These are known as Furquania Madrasahs, Hafizia Madrasahs and Quami or Darse Nizamia Madrasahs.

Furquania Madrasahs offer basic education of 1+ year of schooling on Islam, basic Arabic language skills, Quran recitation, elementary Bengali and simple arithmetic. This non-formal primary education is very popular in the country. Children of the earliest possible age group attend these institutions and complete their basic primary learning there. These institutions are usually attached to a local Mosque and are established and administered by local communities. Hafizia madrasahs are devoted to memorising the entire text of the Quran. This takes approximately 2-3 years of schooling. Such schools are also established and administered by local communities. Quaumi or Darse Nizamiah Madrasahs divide their academic programme according to grades of one year each, from Grade I to XIV. Certificates are awarded to the students after successful completion of the final grade called Daurah. Additional specialised courses, which take 2-3 years to

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complete, are also conducted in some of the Quaumi Madrasahs. (BANBEIS, 1987, p. 7-10).

5.2.1.1 General Education

The national general education system in Bangladesh can be broadly divided into primary, junior, secondary, higher secondary and tertiary stages of learning. Every academic programme focuses primarily, on preparing of students for entrance into the next academic level. The primary level is the entry point for five-year schooling from grades I-V, the junior level for three years from VI-VIII, the Secondary level for two years continues from grades IX-X. Grades XI and XII constitute the higher secondary level.

Secondary level education is completed after a public examination conducted by the Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board. Universities offer four-year schooling at undergraduate level education as well as medical and engineering degrees which require 5-6 years of schooling. They also offer one or two-year Master’s degrees, Master of Philosophy (M Phil) degrees, and doctoral programmes (Ph.D.).

Primary education begins at the age of 5+ and finishes at 11. There are five grades in primary schools: class I to class V with a uniform curricular structure. For each grade, an annual examination is held for each subject. Students must pass all examinations in order to be promoted to the next class. Finally, a public examination for primary school graduation is held which is administered by the Directorate of Primary Education (DPI) under the administrative authority of the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education (MOPME). The Upazila Education Office (UEO) is for providing academic and logistical support to the local Administration of Upazila to run the primary education as public service delivery.

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Junior, secondary and higher secondary levels can be grouped together as ‘secondary’

education. Secondary education is offered with a uniform curricular structure of general education up to grade VIII at the junior level. Secondary level educational is known as high school. It offers a diversified curriculum of science, commerce, and humanities.

Higher secondary level also offers a diverse curriculum of science, commerce, and humanities at the intermediate level of high-school as well as intermediate and general degree colleges.

High-school is comprised of two grades; i.e., classes IX and X. Intermediate Colleges constitute class XI and XII. High Schools are generally combined with junior schools.

There are many high schools in Bangladesh which are combined with the primary stage (class I-V) and teach to class X. Another type of institution, called junior high schools, have been teaching facilities from Class VI to Class VIII. The secondary level of education is administered by the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education under the Ministry of Education, which field offices at every division, district headquarters, and loca administration of Upazila in the country.

Secondary education is concluded with a public examination called the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination. Higher secondary or intermediate culminates in a Higher Secondary School (HSC) examination. Results are awarded by a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 5-1. Academic matters up to the higher secondary level of general education are administered through five education boards overseen by the Ministry of Education (MOE). At present there are 105126 institutions providing general education in the country. The schooling and institutions of general education in Bangladesh are shown in table 14.

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Table 14: Level-wise schooling and institutions in Bangladesh

Stage

Source: Ministry of Education and Ministry of Primary and Mass Education. www.mopme.gov.bd and www.moe.gov.bd

5.2.1.2 Technical Education

Technical Education in Bangladesh is organised in three tiers: trade level training programme, technician level education, and graduate level study in engineering and technology. This form of education aims to produce skilled manpower at different levels and fields to meet the needs of industry and various service organisations operating in the country (BANBEIS, 1988, p. 1). Trade level training is a certificate programme at the secondary level of general education and requires approximately one year of schooling.

Technical level education requires 2-3 years of schooling in technical institutions. This is equivalent to higher secondary level education and produces diploma level technicians.

The graduate tier is for higher education and research in the engineering universities. At present, there are 2848 institutions providing technical education in the country. Table 15 provides an overview of the technical education system in Bangladesh.

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Table 15: Technical Education in Bangladesh Institution Equivalent Source: Ministry of Education. www.moe.gov.bd

It was necessary strengthen and develop the technical education in different fields after the country gained independence in 1971. Technical courses ranged from auto-repair, carpentry, drafting, electrical work, farm mechanics, steel work, machining, masonry, radio and television broadcasting, refrigeration and air-conditioning, welding, civil, electrical, mechanical, and chemical engineering, architecture, radio electronics, textiles, and health engineering. Vocational and technical curricula are regulated and examinations are required. Certificates are issued by a board of authority called the Bangladesh Technical Education Board (BTEB).

5.2.1.3 Madrasah Education

Madrasah education runs parallel to the general education system. It offers religious instruction to Muslim students. Madrasah education is comprised of five stages:

Ibtedayee, Dhakil, Alim, Fazil, and Kamil. Ibtedayee and Dhakil are the equivalent of primary and secondary level schooling. They have a10-year duration, with 5 years devoted to each level. Alim is the higher secondary of 2 years of schooling after Dhakil.

Fazil and Kamil are the graduate level equivalents and require 3 years of schooling after the Alim level, and 2 years of schooling after Fazil respectively. Apart from the

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Ibtedayee, every stage of Dhakil, Alim, and Fazil has a diversified curriculum comprised of humanities, science, and commerce. The Kamil stage has four groups of traditional Islamic studies like 'Hadis' (the prophetic tradition) 'Fiqh’ (Islamic jurisprudence), ‘Adab’

(Arabic literature), and ‘Tafsir’ (Quranic explanation and interpretation). At present there are 16243 institutions providing madrasah education in the country. Table 16 below presents a general overview of the madrasah system in Bangladesh.

Table 16: Madrasah Education in Bangladesh

Stage

Ministry of Education. www.mopme.gov.bd and www.moe.gov.bd

The core subjects of studies in Madrasah focus on the study of the Quran, Hadith, Tafsir, Fiqh, Usul, Arabic language and literature, Islamic history and Islamic Philosophy. In addition, provision has also been made for the teaching of General Science, Mathematics, Social Studies, Bengali and English at appropriate levels. In all stages except Ibtedayee, public examinations of Dhakil and Alim stages are adminsitered by the Bangladesh Madrasah Education Board (BMEB), who also award certificates. The Ibtedayee public examination is held by the Board as well under the auspices of the Ministry of Education.

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Examination results are awarded in GPAs of 5–1. Fazil and Kamil certificates are issued and awarded by Islamic University, located in Kushtia, Bangladesh.

It is interesting to note that primary education attached to Madrasah education is regulated by the Ministry of Education (MOE). They are not under the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education (MOPME) even though they make up a substantial contribution to primary education in the country.