Emran Emon

It is called that education is the backbone of a nation. Just as people cannot stand without a backbone, a nation cannot stand on the pinnacle of progress and prosperity without education.‌ The more educated a nation is in the world, the more developed and prosperous it is. Balanced development of a state is not possible without education. To destroy a nation, we just need to weak its education system. Reviewing the history, it is seen that the victorious power in many great wars has destroyed the library of the defeated nation so that future generations may not have to know about the education, culture, history and heritage of that nation.

In 1962, the dictatorial Ayub government formed an education commission headed by the then Education Secretary SM Sharif and formulated an extremely discriminatory education policy, known as the 'Sharif Commission'. The then Ayub government wanted to impose a communal education policy on the shoulders of the people of this country with the proposal to turn education into a commodity and hand it over to a special class.

At that time, the then East Pakistan government issued Section 144 on September 9, banning processions and picketing, but when the students started marching on September 10, ten people were arrested. Thousands of students violated Section 144 and marched in Dhaka. Police arrested Abul Hasnat, Abdur Rahim Azad, Abu Hena, Kazi Zafar Ahmed, Sirajul Alam Khan, Shah Moazzem Hossain. A strike was called across East Pakistan if the Education Commission's report was not canceled by September 17.

The people of all walks of life, including professionals, workers and peasants, called for a strike on 17 September in 1962 against this extremely discriminatory education policy. Thousands of students gathered at Dhaka University on September 17 at 10 am. The procession came out at the end of the rally. The news came that in Jagannath College police had been shot. The procession then rushed towards Nawabpur. The procession started crossing Abdul Gani Road without clashing with the police in the High Court. Police then attacked the procession from behind. The second clash with the police took place in front of the Dhaka court.

Police and EPR also fired here. Babul, Golam Mostafa and Wajiullah, the three were martyred, hundreds were injured and hundreds of students were arrested. On that day, not only in Dhaka, but all over the country, the police attacked the procession. Police shot dead a worker named Sundar Ali during a student-worker procession in Tongi. The roads were stained with blood. On September 17, massive protests, playing stick-button and shootings took place all over East-Pakistan, including Dhaka. In Dhaka, 52 people were injured and admitted to hospital. The total number of injured was 253, 1059 students were arrested.

Eventually, the dictatorial Ayub government could not implement discriminatory education policy. Later, a movement was started to demand the introduction of a people-oriented education policy. And September 17, the day with bloody memories of the mass movement of students and people, was established as 'National Education Day'. This movement for the realization of the universal right to education is directly involved in the rise of the land called Bangladesh.

Long struggles and in exchange of shedding blood, we got a map, a independent territory, a red-green flag and an education day. But it is a matter of great regret that no one in this country remembers this day except the left progressives. In fact, even after 62 years of Education Day, the aspirations of the students for universal education have not been fulfilled even today. Although some modifications have been made, the education system built by the clerks during the British-Pakistani period is still in force. This significant history of education and student movement has not been included in the textbook. As a result, most of the students remain unaware of this glorious chapter of history. They are deprived of realizing its significance.

Education is still selling on the market, business with education is gone. But the difference is the same—before it was sold in the open market and now it is sold in showrooms. Private kindergarten schools, colleges, universities are growing by leaps and bounds. To study such these institutions, requires a lot of money, which is impossible for most people in the country to afford. Moreover, these educational institutions do not provide quality education. Finally, we have got the 'National Education Policy-2010' to move forward on the path of development. Where 'play false' (Shuvankarer Faaki) has been given in excellent fluent language and technique.

Education has been privatized and commercialized by bypassing the universal, non-discriminatory and similar science-based education system that has emerged in the spirit of Education Day. As a result of which, extreme anarchy is being witnessed in primary, secondary and higher education all over the country. There is still a teacher crisis in the country. Teachers and staff of MPO-registered private schools and colleges still have to go on a hunger strike to demand nationalization, which is against the spirit of Education Day.

We should keep in mind that the blood of Wajiullah, Babul and Golam Mostafa did not dry up in the streets that day, it was carried in the arteries of the nation, in the veins and brain. And that stream of blood went and joined another blood stream. Finally it went and met in the estuary of freedom.

Therefore, in order to take the country to the peak of development, first of all, it is necessary to formulate an education policy based on public opinion, where education will be free for all. "Education is not a commodity, education is the right of all"—let it be reflected on all levels on the great day of education.

It is time to include the history of the significant of the great Education Day in the textbooks of secondary level. The state should take initiatives to observe this day. Encouraged by the spirit of Education Day, the inequality of education between rural and urban areas has to be eliminated.

In the current context, it is to say that there is no education policy in Bangladesh at present, education is going on in multiple streams—that education has now become a commodity. In many cases, the syllabus is pervaded with communal ideology, in the name of education, certificate trade is going on, the quality of education has come down alarmingly. The quality of our education, especially the picture of quality of higher education can be seen by looking at our universities.

At present, public universities are no longer public universities. Research is the lifeblood of universities. But there are no research activities in the universities, degrees are being taken by stealing thesis of others. The number of universities in the country is increasing steadily, but the question generally arises—as to how much the 'quality of education' is increasing. We don't want universities in every district, we want to improve the quality of existing universities. And we want sound environment for education in these universities.

In the current context, universities are doing slavery in the name of autonomy. As a result, they are not able to utilize their autonomous power. ‌In these universities, as before, there is no healthy politics, no democratic environment and no practice of free thinking. Higher positions in the higher education sectors are occupied by lobbying and using political ideology. As a result, education is failing to achieve its real purpose. And so our position in the global context is decreasing day by day.

The overall development of education will not be possible without stopping trade in education, elimination of inequalities in education, formation of a timely and effective education commission and its implementation. Effective measures should be taken to reform the education sector as a whole. Special attention should be given to improving the quality of education, especially in the higher education sector. Moreover, the tax imposed on private educational institutions should be withdrawn, commercialization of education should be stopped. Democratic environment, human values and freedom of practicing free thinking should be established in educational institutions. Moreover, educational institutions should be free from political violence. Above all, it is expected that a qualitative, up-to-date and welfare education system should be developed.

The writer is a, researcher, journalist & columnist