Rethinking policy on secondary and higher secondary education.

Abstract

The article "Rethinking Policy on Secondary and Higher Secondary Education" advocates for a comprehensive restructuring of Bangladesh's education curriculum to align with societal needs and global standards. Emphasizing the dual importance of Bangla (mother tongue) and English (international language), the author argues that current disparities in medium-of-instruction systems—Bangla, English, and Madrasah (Alim/Dhabili)—hinder students' competitiveness. While Bangla-medium students excel in subject knowledge but lack English proficiency, English-medium learners often struggle with core subjects and cultural grounding. The piece highlights the necessity of English for accessing global research, trade, and higher education, while also stressing the need to integrate Bangla, Mathematics, and Science into Madrasah syllabi to reduce social burdens. The author proposes a unified curriculum reform under Dhaka University’s Institute of Education and Research (IER) to produce skilled graduates capable of contributing to both local and international job markets, thereby fostering national prosperity.