THE adage that ‘education is the backbone of a nation’ is one that we have all heard. It is central to a nation’s progress and can be thought of as a process of human resource development where knowledge, abilities, and skills are expanded. In the same way that human culture develops, education is seen as the cornerstone for human progress; and social, economic, and political systems all depend on it.

Education is rightly recognised as a fundamental human right in the constitution in Article 17. It is crucial in comprehending this idea at a time when we talk about providing all students with a high-quality education. What are the fundamental criteria for a high-quality education? One that is relevant to students and responds to societal demands? Does every student, without fail, meet the standards? Children’s learning capacity and the degree to which their education leads to a variety of personal, social, and developmental advantages are both influenced by quality. It highlights the requirement for stimulation.

The curriculum is brought to life through the teaching and learning process, which controls what happens in the classroom and, by turn, the standards of learning outcomes. But some obstacles in the educational system have so far prevented success. The Qudrat-i-Khuda education commission was established to design a suitable system for independent and sovereign Bangladesh. The commission’s report, published in 1974, suggested that compulsory education should be implemented by 1983.

For children aged 6–10 years, primary education, sometimes known as ‘basic education’, is currently required. Despite being ‘basic’, the 2010 National Education Policy suggests that primary education should be continued through Class VIII. The secondary school curriculum begins to stream in Class IX when students can select between the general education and technical-vocational education and training streams to focus their studies. Bangladesh’s education system continues to be of poor quality. The educational system and standards fall short when compared with the standards in other countries; in another way, they lag. Since Bangladesh’s independence, a lack of a uniform curriculum has been a major problem in the education sector. Other obstacles to the education system include the availability of skilled teachers, institutions, and facilities and a lack of political will and socioeconomic standing. It is time to improve the educational system at all levels.

The quality of education has been declining for several important reasons. First, financial hardship leads students to leave school as good price increase has gone through the roof. People on an average spend 80 per cent of their income on food and their savings are decreasing. Children of poor families are, therefore, forced into engaging in various income-generating activities.

Second, inefficiency discovered after analysing a real-world scenario is the authority’s inability to maintain the government’s policies and assess performance. The government now requires all primary-level students to get a lunchbox. This new guideline is frequently not followed.

Third, social media addiction endangers the young, defenseless children. They interact with many forms of social crimes using Facebook, Messenger, WhatsApp, other browsing devices and online gaming. As a result, there is more cultural damage and most students avoid their studies.

Fourth, primary school instructors lack adequate training. Most teachers are also untrained and unfit to serve as mentors and educators for the next generation. Teachers frequently prioritise private tuition over mentoring and instruction in normal classes and as a result, children suffer greatly intellectually and financially.

Fifth, there is a disparity in elementary education because of socio-cultural norms, religious issues, parental education gaps and lower expectations for girls’ education. There has not been a comprehensive  policy to address the literacy issue among the poor. Last but not least, the absence of most basic amenities such as chairs and tables, water, electricity and even toilets in many schools outside of cities and big towns in districts discourage teachers.

To compete with other developed nations, we must, therefore, put in place a quality education. We are optimistic that we will be able to give the children a high-quality education and create a nation with a great educational skills. It is necessary to put into practice some efficient measures to remove obstacles to high-quality education.

The relevant ministry and the teachers are both essential in addressing the situation. The situation involves issues such as having teachers who are qualified, parents and teachers who are aware and can evaluate themselves, good monitoring, the development of teaching methods and ethics of the profession.

Mohammad Al-Amin is a student of Comilla University.