If education is the engine of economic growth and social replenishment, and education outcomes are path dependent, then we must care about how our youth begin their studies. This is more the case in Bangladesh than in most other countries. The sheer fact of the population of Bangladesh, its density and the growing divergence in education outcomes in a country of such downwardly levelled equality requires that we try to equalize opportunities while remaining fostering the drive to succeed in children who show the promise of sustained success.
So it is a praiseworthy feat that the education minister Nurul Islam Nahid was able to distribute the books he had promised to government run schools. However, though more than 90% of secondary schools received the promised books, only about 70% of the books promised to primary schools were received. This is unacceptable disparity of opportunity is an ongoing issue that confronts any adherent of social justice with the concrete forecast that there are woeful, incomplete distribution of books will have consequences on the already gaping achievement gap between students of means and those without.
Nevertheless, this is a very promising start. As the Daily Star reports:
“Every year, a state of disorder prevailed over distribution of new textbooks. Students and their parents had to go through anxious times even for three to four months into the academic year just to get the books, which eventually hampered their studies, parents said.
Sayma, a student of Azimpur Girls School and College, said, “We have not seen this before… We got the books on our very first day at school. We could not start studying properly in the previous years since we never got the books on time. This year I am happy.”
Habibur Rahman, parent of a school-goer at Azimpur Girls School and College, said, “No doubt this is a great success of the government. Students of the school got their books in March last year. Since the students are getting the books on the very first day of the academic calendar, they would be able to study longer this year and learn more.”
The government last year decided to give free textbooks to students on time so that students could begin the first day with new books.”
The Awami League–faults and accusations aside– will have done something righteous when it provides 100% of the books required for the study and training of 100% of the primary and secondary school students in Bangladesh
