What’s stopping us from bringing critical thinking to our classrooms?

When we look back at the education system of Bangladesh, we find a tale of both pride and pain. It is a tale of a country that hopes big on behalf of its children, but in most cases fails to offer the means they require to achieve their dreams.

We have classrooms full of cheery, inquisitive faces that show a remarkable dedication to access and, at the same time, show the silent pain of underinvestment in quality.

During the last ten years, Bangladesh has exhibited almost universal primary enrollment, maintaining a high Net Enrolment Rate (NER). However, there is another problem behind this success. The amount of money spent by the government on education during this period was quite low compared to what was recommended by UNESCO. This continued deficit has resulted in overworked teachers, overcrowded classrooms and un-nurtured students.

As per World Bank statistics, 58 percent of late primary-aged children were unable to read and comprehend the simple contents of a text as of 2022. In the background of such a number are millions of children who enter school full of hope, only to exit school lacking the skills to dream more. Neither is it the failure of the children, nor the teacher who works so hard despite the overwhelming odds against them. It is rather a call to us as a society to do better.

The issue is concerned with the quality and motivation of teachers. The public schools usually have a Teacher-Student Ratio (TSR) that is higher than 1:40, so individuals are not able to receive personalised attention. There are also numerous opportunities to develop modern pedagogies, even in the case of trained teachers. This does not, by any means, indicate their inadequacy, but rather that the system has not made adequate investment in their growth.

The financial burdens have also complicated the ability of most families to retain their children at school. The overall dropout rate increased to approximately 16.25 percent in 2024. Poverty pushed many students into the labour market at an early age. Every time there is a dropout, several dreams are postponed, while some dreams are put to rest forever. That, in turn, means families have to go through harder times, and society loses several opportunities to invest in its future.

Across the decade, the statistics reflect a similar trend. The enrollment was enhanced, though learning outcomes were not. In 2016, primary NER was 97.9, but expenditure remained at 1.8 percent of GDP. In 2017, the Primary TSR stood at 1:32, which is still excessive to engage. A lack of internet connectivity across primary schools further curtails the possibility of digital learning.

Unless these trends are reversed, the future might be worse. Without radical changes, Bangladesh may enter the next stage of its development with a generation that is not ready to tackle the needs of the knowledge-based economy. 

Nevertheless, humans live because of hope, and we believe we have time to change. This change starts with true dedication. It would be a step in the right direction to increase the expenditure on education to an amount of at least 4-6 percent of our GDP, as UNESCO recommends. There should be an investment in teachers, in terms of better salaries, training, and access to digital resources. It is not only a financial but also a moral choice, how we treasure the futures of our children.

Proper educational ventures must be the core of our national voyage. All of us should come together with our own perceptions as well as enlightened insights to recreate our classrooms where curiosity gets nurtured, critical thinking is applauded, and where every child's dream gets shaped up and finds the pathway to achieve it.

Dr Tarnima Warda Andalib is working as an assistant professor in BRAC University, Dhaka, as well as a global consultant director at Oxford Impact Group, UK.

Dauwood Ibrahim Hassan is a research assistant at BRAC University, and a fresh graduate of Marketing and CIM, with a keen interest in digital marketing, content creation and data analysis.