HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF SECONDARY EDUCATION IN BANGLADESH: COLONIAL PERIOD TO 21st CENTURY

TLDR

Secondary education is viewed as essential for developing knowledge, skills, and attitudes that enable individuals to contribute to society, and it has been progressively reformed in Bangladesh to promote all‑round development, female participation, quality, and technical and science education amid global competition. The article examines the historical development of secondary education in Bangladesh across different periods and socio‑political contexts. The study finds that decentralization of educational administration, empowerment of teachers, and encouragement of non‑government schools, along with a 2009 policy overhaul, have led to broad reforms in objectives, structure, curriculum, and system at the secondary level.

Abstract

In a world of global market competition, the secondary level education has become a part of basic education. Secondary schools are vested with the responsibility of imparting knowledge, skills and attitudes essential for individuals to fit into society and be able to contribute fruitfully to its development. This article analyses the development of secondary education in Bangladesh in different period of time, socio-political context. Therefore, a general overview of secondary education is provided which is followed by historical evolution of secondary education in the British and Pakistani rule over Bangladesh. In conjunction with primary and mass educa­tion, secondary education was revised with great emphasis on the development of an all-round individual, female education, the acquisition of quality education, and the inculcation of technical and science education. A good number of commissions and committee were formed in different time to make changes in educational arena. Following the recommendations, the system of educational administration has been decentralised to promote school-based management and teacher empowerment. Furthermore, the non-government schools have been always encouraged to play an active role in providing secondary level education. A new education policy for Bangladesh has been tabled in September, 2009 after restoration of democratic process. At secondary education level a broad-based change in educational objectives, structure and system, curriculum have been proposed which is under public scrutiny.