ARTICLES on EDUCATION of BANGLADESH

Teacher’s Canning is Far Greater than Police Baton

gtmroy@gmail.com — Tue, 29 May 2012 17:47:23 +0000

MASUM BILLAH The plight of the teachers in general and the non-government teachers in particular stands as a constant fact for long in Bangladesh but the governments feel complacent allotting a portion of their salaries. It is heard from time to time that the government has done a lot for the teachers and it is also compared to other nations. All tiers of education-primary, secondary, higher secondary and tertiary- are passing through an ordeal. There is hardly any day which does not see any nihilistic news about education. Serious loopholes exist here for long. Long negligence towards this vital productive sector has created serious problem at the present time. The primary education is the base of all education which must be made seriously strong. But in the real sense of the term it witnesses utter negligence from the authorities concerned. Several days back we found that the non-government primary school teachers staged their demonstration in the streets of Dhaka though they originated it in the Central Shaheed Minar. When it received no response from the authorities concerned, they decided to move towards the Secretariat of the Prime Minister. But to our utter surprise the teachers participating in the demonstration faced severe kind of police action along with water cannon. This is nation’s reward for our teachers!

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Head Teachers’ Perceptions and Practices of School Leadership in Private Secondary Schools in Sirajganj District, Bangladesh - 9

gtmroy@gmail.com — Sat, 19 May 2012 11:08:07 +0000

SHEIKH MOHAMMAD ALI Person to follow (guru) The participants were asked whether they follow any leader or whether they have an influential person in their life, who has motivated their work as a school leader. Hasan answered that he was influenced by the head teacher from his student life in secondary school. He was also motivated by his father. He stated: “My father was a knowledgeable person. I was influenced by the words of my father regarding leadership”. Shahid had one head teacher in his school by who motivated him in regard to headship as he described: I joined this school in 1973. At that time the head teacher was Mr. Ashraf. He was a good head teacher. He was a man of strict principles. He used to follow the managerial style in leading the school. He was a successful head of the school. I follow his style of leadership. Two head teachers in this study were influenced by their previous head teachers. They followed their seniors to lead the school. In some cases family members also influenced them in their work as a leader.

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How Private Universities Contribute to Tertiary Education

gtmroy@gmail.com — Wed, 09 May 2012 11:04:36 +0000

MASUM BILLAH Private university now occupies a significant space in the sphere of higher education in Bangladesh upholding a reality. over the years these institutions moved from being a filler in the vacuum created by dearth of seats in public universities. Still 'private university education' is frowned upon. Dr. Nurul Islam, VC, Eastern University says, ‘there is no education as private education, no invidious distinction per se between private and public university education. Some people say private university students are self-centred, have no social commitment or higher motivation outside their worldly wise pursuit of knowledge. This is not correct. They have their own sense of social responsibilities.People pay taxes and from their money the government subsidies the education of students of public universities .But an overwhelming number of students now study in private universities who as the same tax payers children -also deserve an equal share of government's education grants, subsidies, scholarships and other facilities. They get neither of them. Dr. Carmen Z Lamana, the Vice-Chancellor of AIUB comments on the private university thus, “We have to update our draft curriculum to UGC for approval. It takes five to six months to get them approach thanks to all the bureaucratic tangles and red-tapeism. So by the time a curriculum is approved, another updating in quick succession becomes necessary. Such a booming sector cannot be left ignored and unattended.” Some two lakh students are currently studying in the private universities of Bangladesh. Some foreign students are also enrolled here.

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Head Teachers’ Perceptions and Practices of School Leadership in Private Secondary Schools in Sirajganj district, Bangladesh - 8

gtmroy@gmail.com — Sat, 05 May 2012 13:28:23 +0000

SHEIKH MOHAMMAD ALI Findings This chapter presents the findings of this study, in relation to the key themes developed from the data, which illustrate and explain four head teachers’ perceptions and practices in regard to leadership in their schools. The main themes developed from the interviews are: concepts of leadership; styles of leadership; training for leadership; developing a vision for schools; the head teacher’s relationships with: the assistant head teacher, the teachers, the students, the parents and community; the bureaucracy; and the School Managing Committee, and political influence in schools. The participants were also asked to speak about the dream they have for their schools. The research questions, ideas and opinions of the head teachers are organised into these themes.

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The Necessity of Moral Education

gtmroy@gmail.com — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 12:24:00 +0000

MASUM BILLAH We are now faced with such kind of students who is growing up with the Internet age, compared with students in the traditional sense; their vision is broader and more extensive access to information. Schools, teachers are no longer their only source of information and sources of influence. As a new generation of young people, they are no longer blind obedience to the authority of teachers and parents only rather they are assertive and independent learners which pose a serious challenge for the present day teachers. In this perspective, imparting moral education to the present day learners gains ground.

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Head Teachers’ Perceptions and Practices of School Leadership in Private Secondary Schools in Sirajganj District, Bangladesh - 7

gtmroy@gmail.com — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 14:39:51 +0000

SHEIKH MOHAMMAD ALI Methods The term ‘data’ means the information researchers collect from the place they are studying. These form the basis for analysis. Data include the materials which are actively recorded by the person doing the study (Bogdan & Biklen, 1998). In my study I used semi- structured interviews, and a focus group discussion to gain my data. Interview Interviews are the most common form of data collection in qualitative research (Lichtman, 2010). Interviews are the most effective tool for my data collection process as my goal was to learn what my interviewees thought, believed and felt about school leadership and their roles as head teachers.

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Learner-centered Classroom for Real Learning and Higher Achievement

gtmroy@gmail.com — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 15:37:49 +0000

MASUM BILLAH When the students take on greater responsibility for their own learning and gain greater independence is known as the learner-centered approach to instruction. We often focus more on how we teach than on how our students learn. In learner-centered classroom we should be careful about what our students do to facilitate their won learning. Here both the teacher and the students must share the responsibility of learning. Student centered teaching lies at the core of any effective classroom. Any teaching method or any instructional material must be evaluated on its use of student centered principles if we want these methods, materials to teach students effectively. In this approach teachers’ planning, teaching and our assessment center round the needs and abilities of our students. The main idea behind the practice is that learning is most meaningful when topics are relevant to the students’ lives, needs and interests and when the students themselves are actively engaged in creating, understanding and connecting to knowledge. Students will have a higher motivation to learn when they feel they have a real stake in their own leaning. In a learner-centered classroom the students don’t just memorize information, but they are allowed to work with and use the information alone or with peers. The students are given choices and are included in the decision-making processes of the classroom. Learners are treated as co-creators in the learning process.

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English Language Education Promises Development

gtmroy@gmail.com — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 18:06:50 +0000

MASUM BILLAH That the present global world promises development of a developing country with the promotion of English language learning and information technology does not seem to be a surprising statement rather very practical. The increased status of English within a global economy means that English language education has to be promoted as an important factor in international development programs. Indeed, Bruthiaux (2002:289) contends that development efforts have now become inextricably linked in governmental and academic circles as well as in the media with English language education. There is a growing recognition of the role that language education can play in helping people gain the resources to lift them out of poverty and increase their ability to participate in world economic systems from which they have previously been excluded. Given the current status of English as the pre-eminent global language, much of this stress on language education becomes in fact, a stress on English language education.

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Head Teachers’ Perceptions and Practices of School Leadership in Private Secondary Schools in Sirajganj District, Bangladesh - 6

gtmroy@gmail.com — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 17:31:28 +0000

SHEIKH MOHAMMAD ALI Context The context of this study is Bangladesh. It is a developing country with a large population of 140.23 million. It has one of the largest education systems in the world. Most of the people live in rural areas. There are 18,756 private secondary schools all over the country. Secondary students range from Year Six to Year Ten (age 11 to 15). In Bangladesh the Ministry of Education is responsible for the overall management of the secondary education. The Ministry of Education has offices at the district level to implement its policies and the agenda of the government. After completing five years of compulsory primary education (set by the constitution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh) students go to secondary school. At this level of study students learn various subjects such as language, mathematics, science, social science, geography, arts and religion. The National Curriculum and Text Book Board (NCTB) formulates curriculum and publishes text books for secondary school students. After completing Year Ten students go to higher secondary school. There are some schools which have a higher secondary section.

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Receiving TESOL President Award

gtmroy@gmail.com — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 17:37:43 +0000

MASUM BILLAH Any kind of recognition to any innovative work works as a guiding force to go forward for any individual and organization. It’s an incentive as well. When it happens in the field of education it brings more pleasure for those who belong to this field. I have been in this line for quite a long time first as a practicing teacher and now as teacher educator/administrator have become elated to see any positive change and recognition to Bangladesh education .It invokes greater pleasure when I see and experience any global recognition to the field I belong to. My present attachment to BRAC Education Program, PACE which works for the overall development of secondary education with particular emphasis on English language and the way of its working for the rural teachers has drawn the attention of some global entities. TESOL is the acronym of “Teachers of English to speakers of other languages” which refers to the professional association, the profession, and the field itself. This global professional association has now picked up the case of BRAC Education program, PACE and rewarded it with its prestigious award. TESOL’s headquarters is in Alexandria, Virginia, in the United States, having more than 13,500 members in over 140 countries. The mission of TESOL is to ensure excellence in English language teaching to speakers of other languages.

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