The Bangladeshi education system has recently been witnessing a number of much-needed changes that are pivotal for the well-rounded growth of our children.
As reported earlier this month, the new school curriculum has been designed in contrast to the exam-centric learning that students had been subjected to for years, which is certainly a laudable improvement.
In line with the upgraded curriculum, the government announced its decision to permanently discard the Junior School Certificate (JSC), Junior Dakhil Certificate (JDC), and equivalent examinations starting from this year.
This is undoubtedly a positive change, and one that has been inexorable for our education system.
Board exams as such put an unrealistic amount of strain on students, but have not been proven to be of any significant consequence. As a matter of fact, the persistent pressure on our children has historically been detrimental to the amount of knowledge they actually retain, and this has negatively impacted their overall growth.
However, while this decision is certainly praiseworthy, there is still a long way to go. Our education system requires sweeping reform, and this is only the beginning of the process.
The authorities in question, along with the government's approval, would do well to address the rest of the existing flaws in the system -- such as using plagiarized texts and instilling prejudiced, backdated ideas, to name a few -- to establish an education sector that nurtures young minds in the way they need.
In order to build a truly educated and enlightened society, it is imperative that the education we provide to our next generations match the developmental ambitions we have as a nation.
These students are the future of Bangladesh, and it is our duty to equip them with the right tools so they can take our nation forward.
