PLEDGE HARBOR INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
CHALLENGES FOR EDUCATION IN BANGLADESH
WHERE WE CAN HELP
Introduction
Education has long been understood as contributing to the development of human
potential as well as social growth (Dewey, 1899). It also has been seen as a basic human
right and as an integral part of access to political power and participation (Torres, 1990),
and can therefore be considered as an act of socialising individuals for social competences.
It is also widely held that education is one of the most effective ways of addressing poverty
partly through increasing productivity leading to higher incomes for individuals and thereby
reducing poverty (Oxfam International, 2000).
Education is the key to overall development of a nation. This realization exists among the
post-independent government education policy makers of Bangladesh. However, various
challenges in the education system mars success achieved thus far. Compared to
international level education in Bangladesh system is not competitive and this has critical
implications upon the overall national development.
Despite Bangladesh's remarkable success in bringing nearly all children to primary school,
the education quality remains a concern, a World Bank report said.
The World Development Report 2018: "Learning to Realize Education's Promise,"
presented in Dhaka Wednesday, showed that schooling is not the same as learning.
The Washington-based lender said many young students in Bangladesh, as in other
low- and middle-income countries, find it hard to get good jobs because they leave
the education system without required skills to read, write or do basic math. The
country should address this learning crisis by investing more in education and
investing more effectively, it said.
In Bangladesh, according to the report, children can expect to get around 11 years of
schooling, but they lose about 4.5 of these due to the poor quality of schooling. For
example, 35 percent of grade 3 students scored too low to even be tested on reading
comprehension in Bangla, and only 25 percent of grade 5 students in the country passed
the minimum threshold in math.
The key factors behind this are: lack of access to early childhood development programs,
low quality of teaching practices, challenges related to poor school management, and low
levels of overall spending on public education.
"Bangladesh is among the few countries to achieve gender parity in school
enrollment with more girls in school than boys. The country has the potential to
create a globally competitive workforce by investing in education," said Bob Saum,
World Bank Country Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan.
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Why do our parents send their children abroad to get better education?
The main reason we think about the complicated & complex structure of our country’s
education system. Also in this system there is no curriculum to develop & prepare a
student for the real world. A student gets to choose his career after completing the 12
years education which is a long period of time. We find some other problems which we had
shown below:
Common Issue:
a. Quality Education
b. Expense
c. Facility
d. Curriculum
e. International Standard
But despite above issues there are some other groups who face some troubles admitting
their children in bangladeshi institute. We divide these groups in 3 (Three) segments.
1. Dhaka Metro
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2. Outside of Dhaka Metro &
3. Non Residential Bangladeshi (NRB)
Dhaka Metro
Those who live in the Dhaka metro have many other options than those who are not.
DHaka metro has many schools which give the best education. But having these parents
still thinks to send their children abroad to get better education. Because they think about
the below issues:
a. Discipline
b. International Admission
c. Admission Access
Outside Dhaka Metro
Those who live in the outside Dhaka metro have very little knowledge about the institutions
in dhaka. Also they don't have proper ideas about the curriculum & facilities. We find these
below issues they think:
a. Admission Access
b. Discipline
c. Expense
d. Aware about Curriculum
NRB
Now we have more white collar NRB lining across the world who have their family living
here. But also they want their children to get an education in bangladesh. Also they face
some issues.
a. Don't have any IDEA about the IB & Other curriculum
b. Both mental & Physical fitness
c. Facility
d. Discipline
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e. Admission access
These are the main issues our parents face when they want to admit their children in
bangladeshi institute.
How can we the Pledge Harbor International School help
Pledge Harbor- is Bangladesh's first private, coeducational, IB accredited boarding school,
located in Maona, Gazipur.
The mission of PHIS is to challenge and enable students to reach their individual potential in
mind, body and spirit while building responsible global citizens'.
At Pledge Harbor we advocate the concept of ‘positive education’, which instills an optimistic
mindset among growing students. Students are schooled with exclusive proficiencies, to be
cultivated into distinct individuals with leadership abilities. Your children are not just your heirs;
they also inherit a nation poised to grow spectacularly. Hence, at PHIS, we work towards
building relationships, steering positive sentiments and developing individual resilience. We
believe that youthful minds are pliable and thus we put forth our paramount efforts into
nurturing our students towards being confident analytical thinkers and dynamic leaders.
Student life at Pledge Harbor International School is a rich and vibrant experience.
Striving to provide a well balanced spiritual, academic and social well-being, students are
encouraged to both serve and participate in and beyond our community. With plenty of room
for opportunity, students can engage in over ten sports, the arts, and equally a number of
student driven clubs.
Pledge harbor At A Glance:
1. IB Curriculum
2. Holistic Education
3. 27 Acre Campus
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4. Internationally Certified Teachers
Source Link:
1. http://www.culturacritica.cc/2015/04/challenges-for-education-in-bangladesh/?lang=en
2. https://www.thedailystar.net/opinion/education/news/can-bangladesh-provide-quality-e
ducation-its-children-1717006
3. http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-02/27/c_137855105.htm
4. https://www.thedailystar.net/opinion/where-our-education-system-has-failed-1525951
