Editorial
Guideline to regulate coaching business
Effective implementation is imperative
The education minister's new guideline to curb teachers' involvement in coaching business is welcome news. A policy such as this was long overdue to hold in check the mushrooming of coaching centres which have largely been responsible for commercializing education in schools, colleges and madrasas. Coaching business, by way of its money-spinning appetite, has turned esteemed teachers away from the classroom, thus causing a visible slide in classroom teaching and other related activities. What is worse, an impression has grown that low grades are given to students because of not resorting to coaching or private tuitions. Therefore, guidelines containing punitive measures that have been announced couldn't have come a day earlier.
Having said that, we'd like to put emphasis on the feasibility of some of the modalities for enforcement of the new rules. As per the guideline, teachers will be able to provide tuition at their residence to a maximum of ten students per day after receiving permission from their respective heads of institutions. We don't understand how this provision will be implemented through a handful of education officers at division, district and upazila levels where they will be stunningly outnumbered by teachers. So, we think the government's monitoring teams should be supported by local teachers, guardians and civil society members.
Another remarkable feature is the provision of extra classes for weak students at a government fixed rate inside the school compound given that it is requested by the guardians. Although it seems more feasible, the rationale behind this remains a little fuzzy. While enforcing any new system, we should not forget that the old system has taken its roots insidiously, making students, whether weak or strong, dependent on some sort of coaching or tuition. Replacing the old system altogether will therefore create a void which is why this provision for extra classes should be applicable to both weak and strong students to make a meaningful difference.
We'd also like to stress that the inadequate pay scale of teachers against rising inflation is one of the main reasons behind teachers' digression to coaching. While the government pays vigorous attention to implement this guideline, it should not be oblivious to the fact that a better pay scale undoubtedly is a prerequisite for making teachers return to the classroom and put all their efforts to make the classes interesting as well as effectively instructive.
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