Education Consultation

At the beginning of the consultation conveyor of the Synod Education Board Mr. Augustine Dipak Karmakar explained the objectives and goals of the consultation. He said, for the last 200 years Church of Bangladesh has been running education programme. Where there was a parish, one education institute should be there – it was the goal of the church with the view to provide education to the people, particularly the deprived lived in backward villages of a parish.  He mentioned, until recently the maximum schools were being financed by foreign countries, but that has largely been reduced presently as they now like to provide assistance directly to government and they think Church running schools should get support from that source. But reality is, the missionary schools are not getting any support from government.  He emphasized that with academic education if we like to build a society with free from corruption and inequality, we then have to develop the religious values, morality character of the students through Church run schools.

He later highlighted the objectives of the consultation mentioning – how the quality of the education can be enhanced and make the schools self-sustained, a long-term planning for that is to be developed through this consultation.
The discussion on theme “Education for enriching the life” highlighted the points that:

• The quality of education of COB Schools is much better. But for conducting a holistic programme, long-term planning and strategy should be drawn.
• The salary scale of the teachers should be in line with the government schools.
• Young people should be included in teaching for building god teachers for the future
• Discussing on the “roles of the teachers to develop the quality of education” Mrs. Maria Aloka Ghose, Head Teacher of Mission High School, Rajshahi emphasized the following points:
• The curriculum of education should be contemporary
• The education system should be reorganized adding the information technologies
• Commitment should be ensured of skilled teachers
• Skilled and dedicated managing committee should be in place
• The facilities of government should be tapped
• A well management system, infrastructure and environment are to be ensured for the schools
• Education should be provided based on well-organized early education plan

Discussing on “the roles of teachers to build the Christian values and morality” Moderator Bishop Paul S Sarker mentioned that social degradation is getting widespread due to the lack of moral education. He added, in many cases following the inclusion of schools with government the quality of moral education has dropped.  He emphasized if moral education has no place in mainstream education that education, cannot contribute to build a fair society.

On the issues of enhancing the quality of the education along with sustainability of the schools, Mrs. Janet Sarker Mentioned for that, skilled teachers, cordial relationship between student- teacher – guardian, moral education, separate care for weak students, and effective managing committee are required. She discussed in detail about the sustainability of schools and recommended some ways towards that. These are:

• Increasing the fees of the student
• Introducing admission fee following the government instruction
• Raising school development fund
• Supporting village schools by self-sustained school
• Efficient financial management
• Effective planning and directives

Discussing on the “skill and quality”, Mr. Subrato Edward Gomes, Principal of Methodist English Medium School mentioned that skill, commitment and values are the priority factors for a quality teacher. He added a process should be built-in the school management system to nourish that continuously.

The consultation ended with group discussion for developing a three-year plan of action for enhancing quality and sustainability of the education programme of Church of Bangladesh. The outcomes of the discussion are as follows:

Recommendations for Development of Quality of Education    

• Ensuring quality and contemporary education
• Ensuring skilled teachers
• Improving relationship between student-teacher- guardian
• Improving infrastructure and school environment
• Modernization of classroom and adding IT facilities
• Emphasizing on moral education
• Introducing special care for weak students
• Ensuring effective management committee    
• Recommendations for achieving sustainability
• Increasing the fees of the student
• Introducing admission fee following the government instruction
• Raising school development fund
• Supporting village schools by self-sustained school
• Efficient and transparent financial management
• Efficient uses of school resources
• Effective planning and directives