By Nafew Sajed Joy

As Bangladesh enters a pivotal phase of educational reform, the interim government has prioritized the production of high-quality textbooks for primary students. This move addresses persistent concerns about subpar educational resources that affect the learning experience and outcomes of young learners. Despite established guidelines from the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB), many textbooks currently in circulation fall short of acceptable standards, with quality issues that hamper students’ engagement and comprehension.

Our review of the fourth-grade English textbook, English for Today, reveals a mix of strengths and areas for urgent improvement. This textbook, which aligns with the National Education Policy of 2010, aims to build core language skills—listening, speaking, reading, and writing—through exercises grounded in real-life applications. While the curriculum structure and content design meet educational objectives, shortcomings in physical quality detract from its overall effectiveness. These findings underscore the importance of comprehensive reforms to better prepare educational materials for future generations.

Highs and Lows of the Current Curriculum

The English for Today textbook incorporates foundational educational frameworks, including Bloom’s Taxonomy, the VARK model, and social constructivism. Exercises are designed to enhance critical thinking, real-world application, and inclusivity for diverse learning styles. Visual aids, mnemonics, and context-driven examples help students connect classroom learning with practical experiences, promoting an environment where students can learn and apply knowledge actively. The textbook also scores high on readability, achieving an impressive Flesch Reading Ease score of 98.27, indicating it is accessible to young readers.

However, the textbook's physical quality fails to meet expected standards. Due to budget constraints, paper brightness was reduced from 85% to 80% in recent editions, affecting readability and appeal. Additionally, the binding quality remains a recurring issue, with many books deteriorating within months of use. These material inadequacies, coupled with delays in printing and approval processes, raise concerns about the timely distribution of textbooks for the upcoming academic year.

Learning from the English for Today Textbook Analysis

Educational experts have highlighted positive aspects of English for Today that should be integrated into future textbook revisions. These include:
- Alignment with Key Educational Theories: Through Bloom’s Taxonomy and the VARK model, the textbook accommodates multiple learning styles, helping students grasp concepts visually, audibly, and through hands-on activities.

Practical Language Skills Development: The book emphasizes essential language skills through structured exercises designed for real-world application, ensuring students acquire functional proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

- High Readability: With a Flesch Reading Ease score of 98.27, the textbook ensures ease of comprehension, making it suitable for young readers at this level.
Despite these strengths, several critical improvements are necessary:
1. Upgrade in Material Quality: The government’s planned revisions should mandate 85% brightness and 80 GSM paper for primary textbooks, aligning with NCTB standards to improve readability and durability.
2. Stronger Binding: Enhancing the binding quality is crucial to prevent premature wear and tear, which disrupts the educational experience and diminishes students’ respect for their learning materials.
3. Inclusive and Attractive Design: Textbooks should incorporate gender and cultural diversity within their illustrations, fostering an inclusive learning environment where students from all backgrounds feel represented.

Addressing Production Challenges for Timely Delivery

The government’s target to release updated textbooks by 2025 introduces logistical challenges, particularly given recent delays in order approvals and tender processing. Streamlined and transparent administrative processes are necessary to minimize bureaucratic delays. Effective monitoring at each production stage, coupled with rigorous quality checks, will ensure timely delivery without compromising quality. Expedited approval mechanisms and reduced red tape are essential to avoid the delays that have disrupted previous academic years.

A Path Forward

The interim government’s commitment to educational reform offers a promising future for Bangladesh’s primary education sector. Ensuring that textbooks are not only pedagogically sound but also physically durable and visually engaging will significantly improve students' learning experiences. By addressing both content and material quality, the government is positioned to establish a textbook model that aligns with both national and global educational standards.

As we look toward the rollout of revised textbooks in 2025, these insights from the analysis of the English for Today curriculum serve as a guide for comprehensive reform. With a stronger focus on quality, design, and inclusivity, Bangladesh can provide students with the tools they need to excel, inspiring a generation prepared to meet the challenges of tomorrow.

Note: The findings in this article are derived from a study published by the author in English Education: Journal of English Teaching and Research (JETAR), Volume 9, Issue 2, titled “An Analysis of English Textbook for Fourth Grade Students of Bangladesh.”

The writer is a, Student Department of Printing and Publication Studies University of Dhaka