Even before this deadly pandemic hit the world, there is little doubt that it was changing, demanding people and society to adapt and change the old ways in order to keep up with the changing pace. To that end, Bangladesh too must remember to keep pace with the changing world, and one of the most fundamental yet important areas to focus on would be its education sector, in particular, higher education.
For too long, questions have been rightfully raised about whether our education and curricula were what the country and the whole of society needed to groom our youth and equip them with skills that will allow them to become the leaders of tomorrow and propel the country to greater heights.
The old, teacher-centric approach to pedagogy, where our students are often an afterthought and rely less on practical, hands-on project-based learning and more on rote learning, is outdated and needs to change. This approach has never been favourable, but is particularly problematic in the current world which is more dynamic than ever.
A novel idea proposed by Dr Jude William R Genilo, head of the media studies and journalism department at the University of Liberal Arts, Bangladesh, argues precisely to address this dynamism in the world by reviewing and revising the curriculum every four years.
While this idea may not be feasible -- or indeed necessary -- for all departments across all universities in the country, this is still the sort of forward-thinking and solution-seeking approach that should be taken.
Bangladesh has often talked about building the youth up and equipping them with skills necessary for today’s globalized world. For that to happen, our universities must become more pro-active and actively design their curricula to fit with the needs of the whole of society and the job market.
