Primary education poorly monitored, 'not really free'

These views were expressed by grassroots level guardians of students at 'study circles' organised by Transparency International, Bangladesh (TIB) under its 'awareness project' in Madhurpur upazila in Tangail.

Most of the guardians also expressed the view that primary education is not actually free though the government has declared it free and compulsory. The dropout rate is high as poor parents can not meet the expenses charged by school authorities in various ways, they said.

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The 'study circles', each comprising 8 to 12 members, held frank discussions on primary education problems and remedies in presence of TIB representatives and local elite. The TIB has formed 12 such study circles in the upazila, a press release said in Dhaka on Monday.

The US funded National Democratic Institute (NDI) for International Affairs is supporting the programme.

The 'study circles' discussed all aspects of primary education like supply of textbooks, fees, stipends, and responsibilities of teachers, school managing committee and thana educational officials.

Children do not get books at the beginning of the year. Moreover, textbooks are not attractive to them because of 'inappropriate' topics, pictures and low quality printing.

The discussions revealed that school authorities realise various fees for examination, games and sports, picnic, milad, reception to dignitaries, primary education week, furniture, uniform, power bill etc.

In some schools, students are compelled to bring embroidery work (selected by teachers), failing which, they get poor marks in examinations.

These put pressure on poor guardians, which can be avoided through various programmes like pisciculture and planting fruit-bearing and timber trees on school compounds and roadsides.

The slogan--Santan Apnar Kharoch Sarkarer-- attracts poor guardians but they ultimately become frustrated. Often, there is irregularity in distribution of government stipends, they alleged.

Most of the primary school teachers do not concentrate on teaching at schools because they are engaged in so many activities. They are not properly trained also and teacher-parents interaction is totally absent.

There should be guidelines for school managing committees so that they can oversee performance of schools.

Thana education officers (TEOs) or assistant thana education officers (ATEOs) seldom visit schools in remote areas although they visit schools at thana headquarters at regular intervals. They do not use motorcycles given by government for official purposes. Unless bribed, no work is done, they alleged.

The 'study circles' said the situation will dramatically improve if teachers are trained, accountability of teachers, thana education officials and school managing committees is ensured and primary education is made really free, the TIB press release said.