State obliged to build uniform edu system

Although the constitution provides for a uniform and universal system of education, it is non-existent in the country and hence a violation of the charter, jurist M Amir-Ul Islam said yesterday.

The senior lawyer referred to Article 17, which asks the state to establish a uniform, mass oriented and universal system of education and extend free and compulsory education to all children and relate education to the needs of society.

"Have we ever addressed the needs?" Islam asked, saying if these were not addressed, everything would fall apart.

The constitution expert was addressing a roundtable on the "Right to Primary Education", organised jointly by the Parliamentary Caucus on Child Rights (PCCR) and Save the Children, at a hotel in the capital.       

The country has mainly three types of education -- Bangla medium, English medium, and madrasa.

Participants of the discussion called for amending the constitution and incorporating primary education as a right.

Deputy Speaker of Jatiya Sangsad Advocate Md Fazle Rabbi Miah, however, did not see any necessity for a constitutional amendment.

If the Primary Education (Compulsory) Act, 1990 is updated, it will serve the purpose, he said.

He urged lawmakers to raise the issue in parliament.

Primary and Mass Education Minister Mostafizur Rahman said progress was being made gradually. "Over the years, expectation has increased but we could not keep pace with the expectation," he said.

Regarding dropouts at the primary level of education, the minister claimed that many schools showed "fake enrolments" to ensure stipends for all.

Executive Director of Campaign for Popular Education (CAMPE) Rasheda K Choudhury laid stress on shutting private coaching institutions and preventing question leaks to ensure quality education.

She also requested the education ministry to upload the draft Education Act on the website again so that they could give opinions.

Emphasising quality, Professor Emeritus of Brac University Dr Manzoor Ahmed urged both the education and primary education ministries to coordinate their efforts. 

Additional Director General of the Directorate of Primary Education Abu Hena Mostafa Kamal, lawmaker Umme Razia Kajal, lawmaker Shamsul Alam Dudu, member of Education Policy Formulation Committee Principal Kazi Faruque Ahmed, and Country Director (In-charge) of Save the Children Tim Whyte, among others, addressed the discussion.

Education Sector Director of Save the Children Talat Mahmud presented a keynote speech.