The authorities should consult the political parties before adopting an education policy in order to avoid frequent changes in the policy every time a new government comes to power, speakers at a roundtable said yesterday.
They also said that in the education policy, there should be clear directions to ensure congenial atmosphere at the educational institutions.
They said this at a roundtable on the education policy at Cirdap auditorium in the city.
The weekly Shaptahik in association with National Children's Task Force and Save the Children organised the roundtable.
Students' representatives from different districts across the country took part in the discussion.
They urged the government to develop a monitoring system for the implementation of the policy.
The scenario did not change in a positive way because there was no monitoring regarding implementation of the previous policies, they added.
Prof Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, co-chairman of the committee formed to make a draft for a new education policy, said the draft policy, which is expected to be filed within two or three days, will be made public in order to spell out the contradictions and disadvantages through public and experts' opinion.
The policy would stress reducing dropout rate at the primary level and ensuring equality, he added.
Frequent changes ringed by different governments in the education policy seriously hampered the education system, former vice chancellor of Dhaka University Prof Moniruzzaman Mia said.
It is also important to modernise the madrasa education system for ensuring development of the country, he added.
"The commission should address all the problems of educational system in the country and the government should allocate sufficient budget to ensure its implementation," said Prof Syed Manzoorul Islam.
Executive Director of Manusher Jonno Foundation Shaheen Anam said the main objective of education is to instill moral values in the students.
The speakers stressed the need for developing the educational infrastructure, setting up a library at every school and ensuring students' access to information technology.
Editor of the Shaptahik Golam Mortoza moderated the roundtable while human rights worker and former adviser Sultana Kamal, Awami League Organising Secretary Mahmudur Rahman Manna and Prof Akhtaruzzaman also spoke.
Source: thedailystar.net
