challenges of higher education in bangladesh paragraph

Higher Education in Bangladesh: Opportunities and Challenges

Higher education in Bangladesh has seen significant improvements in recent years, with a greater emphasis placed on the development of the sector. According to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, Bangladesh's Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) in tertiary education was 16.6% in 2019, up from just 7.3% in 2009. This is an impressive increase, indicating that more young people in Bangladesh are gaining access to higher education opportunities.

Opportunities for Higher Education in Bangladesh

Bangladesh has a number of reputable universities, both public and private, that offer a range of degree programs across various disciplines. The country has a total of 46 public universities, as well as over 100 private universities and colleges. Some of the top public universities in Bangladesh include the University of Dhaka , the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology , and the University of Rajshahi . In addition to these universities, there are also a number of specialized institutions that provide technical and vocational education, such as the Bangladesh Institute of Science and Technology (BIST) , the Bangladesh Institute of Management (BIM) , and the Bangladesh Institute of Administration and Management (BIAM) .

Challenges of Studying in Universities in Bangladesh

Despite the progress made in the education sector, there are still some challenges faced by students studying in universities in Bangladesh. One of the biggest challenges is the quality of education. While there are some excellent universities in the country, many students report that the quality of teaching is poor in some institutions. This can be attributed to a lack of qualified teachers, inadequate resources, and outdated teaching methods. Another challenge is the high level of competition for places in the top universities. This can make it difficult for students to gain admission to their desired institution, especially if they come from a disadvantaged background. Furthermore, the cost of higher education can be a barrier for many students, as tuition fees can be quite high, especially in private universities. This can limit the opportunities available to students from low-income families, who may struggle to afford the fees.

Overall, higher education in Bangladesh has made significant progress in recent years, with more young people gaining access to opportunities. While there are still challenges that need to be addressed, such as the quality of education and the cost of tuition, the government is committed to developing the sector and ensuring that students have access to high-quality education. With continued investment in the education system and a focus on improving the quality of teaching and resources available to students, Bangladesh has the potential to become a leader in the region for higher education.

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Higher Education Systems and Institutions, Bangladesh

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Bangladesh is one of the most thickly inhabited countries in the world, with its people packed into a delta of rivers that unified into the Bay of Bengal. It shares land borders with India (4142 km or 93.8 percent) and Myanmar (271 km or 6.14 percent) (CIA World Factbook, updated on January 20, 2018). It has achieved economic growth of 7.1 percent in 2017 and becomes one of the fastest growing economies. But, this economic growth will not sustain for long without substantial development of its human capital because “investment in human capital development plays a positive role in economic growth and that human capital is the driver of economic growth and development” (Psacharopoulos and Woodhall 1997 ). Thus, development of human capital through quality higher education and training is a must for Bangladesh if it wants to ensure sustainable development and growth of its economy. In this context, the present study strives to provide a brief scenario of higher education systems...

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Sarkar, S.H., Hossain, S.Z. (2018). Higher Education Systems and Institutions, Bangladesh. In: Encyclopedia of International Higher Education Systems and Institutions. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9553-1_499-1

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Bangladesh: Connecting Minds in Higher Education

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Tertiary education in Bangladesh faces many deep-rooted and intertwined challenges.
• The Higher Education Quality Enhancement Project (HEQEP) aims to improve learning and research in the tertiary education sector.
• The project has promoted academic innovation in universities through a competitive funding mechanism, connected universities to global networks and established a fully operational digital library facility.

Enhancing the quality and relevance of higher education is currently one of the issues at the top of the government’s agenda. The Higher Education Quality Enhancement Project (HEQEP) aims to bring forth both innovation and accountability within universities and lay the foundation for better learning and research in the tertiary education sector.

Tertiary education faces many deep-rooted and intertwined challenges. Bangladesh apportioned about 2.1% of its GDP to education, but just 0.12% was allocated to tertiary education – a very low share by any standards. Low levels of funding leaves little money for investing in research, labs, equipment, computers, books or electronic journals, and infrastructure maintenance for improvement of teaching, learning and research.

An effective mechanism to link universities’ research and industry and business, whether at home or abroad, is still absent. Weak connectivity and inadequate ICT penetration in the higher education institutions limit knowledge exchanges and research collaborations amongst academic communities at home and with international peers. Finally, there was a lack of an appropriate funding mechanism to encourage basic and applied research in the universities.

HEQEP promotes academic innovation in both public and private universities through a competitive funding mechanism, known as the Academic Innovation Fund (AIF). The AIF aims to establish enabling conditions to enhance the quality and relevance of teaching, learning and research in universities; and introduce efficient instruments for the allocation of additional public funds to universities with an emphasis on innovation and accountability. It has clear selection criteria and allocates resources through three competitive windows: improvement of teaching and learning, enhancement of research capabilities, and university-wide innovations.

The AIF also promotes self-assessment of 25 academic programs in 15 universities as a first step towards the establishment of quality assurance mechanism for the tertiary education sub-sector. So far, 194 grants have been awarded to 27 public universities and two private universities. Ninety-six grants were given to revamp teaching and learning and help universities carry out self-assessments, 73 to enhance research capabilities and 25 grants for the establishment of institutional and library automation, campus network, improvement of laboratory facilities, and refurbishment of training institutes.

The project has established the Bangladesh Research and Education Network (BdREN) to provide universities high speed dedicated connectivity. This enables teachers, researchers and students to access the latest knowledge and to engage in collaborative research across institutions of higher learning within the country and abroad. BdREN is also connected to global networks in Eurasia (TEIN 3), USA (Internet 2), Ireland (HeaNet), Continental Europe (GEANT 2), and Asia-Pacific region (APAN).

A fully operational digital library facility, the UGC Digital Library (UDL), has also been established with 34 public and private universities. The UDL subscribes to electronic-resources from acclaimed international electronic journals such as ACM, Emerald and JSTOR. The project also aims to enhance transparency and accountability in the use of public resources and to build the management and institutional capacity of the higher education sector.

Higher Education in Bangladesh: Status, Issues and Prospects

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Higher education in Bangladesh takes place at 34 government, 78 private and 3 international universities. Students can choose to further their studies in chartered accountancy, engineering, technology, agriculture and medicine at a variety of universities and colleges. At the higher level, universities are regulated by the University Grants Commission. The colleges providing higher education are under the National University. Each of the medical colleges is affiliated with a public university. Universities in Bangladesh are autonomous bodies administered by statutory bodies such as Syndicate, Senate, Academic Council, etc. in accordance with provisions laid down in their respective Acts. There are some issues of access, equity and efficiency, both internal and external, of higher education as imparted in degree colleges and universities of Bangladesh. Degree colleges that account for the lion's share of enrolment at the level of higher education suffer from inadequate infrastructural facilities (libraries and laboratories), and lack of qualified teachers with satisfactory emoluments and allowances. The poor pass percentage and high incidence of unemployment amongst the graduates indicate to low levels of internal and external efficiency respectively. Because of limited number of seats in public universities, and high tuition fees charged by the private universities, access to university education is rather limited. Private universities with inadequate full time faculty members depend heavily on part-time teachers drawn primarily from public universities, which adversely affect quality of education in those universities. With a few notable exceptions, most private universities impart education of uncertain quality, and high tuition fees charged by such institutions make them accessible only to the affluent sections in the society. Public universities, primarily dependent on limited government funding shrinking in real terms, unable to generate additional resources by raising tuition fees due to political constraints, are hardly in a position to improve their quality of education through greater investment in libraries and laboratories. Many democratic provisions of the University Acts not only encroach upon the limited teaching time of the faculty members by engaging them in active politics, but also fail to ensure accountability of the teachers, that contribute to lengthening of session jams, quite often accentuated by unscheduled closures of universities due to violent inter and intra-party clashes of student fronts of major political parties. As there hardly exists any linkage between public universities on the one hand, and employers and the job market on the other, many university graduates, produced at considerable cost to the society, have to remain unemployed for a considerable period of time before they find employment often in areas outside their fields of study to the misuse of country's scarce resources. Private universities on the other hand remain confined only to a few disciplines that have high market demand. Political parties talk about good education, quality education, and they advise students to become good citizens in their speeches in any programs they attend. Yet, time and again they forget that and use the students as pawns in their national political chess board. Most public universities face disruptions in the academic calendar due to unscheduled closure resulting from political agitations, some of which lead to violence with use of firearms. As a consequence, academic activities are seriously disrupted, leading to session jams. However, in comparison most private universities have not faced such problems yet. Over the last few years number of private universities as well as the number of students enrolled in these universities have increased significantly. The current political situation in Bangladesh has adversely affected the academic environment in almost all universities-both public and private. The members of the academia and guardians are concerned about the future of country's education. Shutdowns are being called by different political parties amidst different levels of examinations. When the political parties talk about the progress and the prosperity of the nation, they seem to forget their commitment towards this land when it comes to calling of shutdowns or other programs that obstruct normal life style and movement of the public and students. Students are most affected because they are among the most vulnerable groups affected by the shutdowns. The violent nature of the activities that the protesters carry on to make their shutdowns successful costs lives as we have seen in the recent past. Policy makers surely can take meaningful steps to stop these violent acts. The common people and students want to live their regular lives peacefully. Political parties can come to an agreement that none will stage programs that puts the lives of the common people and students at risk. Moreover, the quality of education in all higher level is very poor with a number of problems such as class size, insufficient resources, unequal access such as gender and economic disparity, students lacking in soft skills and overall learning skills such as time management, organisation, work habit and transferable skills. At the

Global Journal of Educational Studies

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The evolution of a modern society largely depends on the essence of quality higher education. In a developing country, higher education has enormous potential to foster its development. Universities all over the world are changing actors of culture and remain the center of transformation and growth. Different Education Commissions have been formed in Bangladesh to explore the potentialities and create highly skilled human resources to contribute the national development (Topader, 2021). Due to the economic and globalization change emphasis on the quality education in education policy across the world. As a result, policymakers, academicians, and professionals in Bangladesh have expressed various issues regarding the quality of higher education. Over the last two decades, the standard of higher education in Bangladesh has steadily deteriorated (Rabbani & Chowdhury, 2014). In this regard, the government, ministry, and UGC have taken various initiatives to ensure quality higher educati...

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This paper identified various factors relating to quality higher education both at public and private universities in Bangladesh. A search for different windows of opportunities to meet the increasing demand was accomplished. The study includes empirical observation of quality attributes and explanation based on those factors needed for ensuring quality higher education. The study is explanatory-descriptive as well as evaluation in nature. It emphasizes on qualitative one with some quantitative interpretation of data and information. It also used methodological triangulation including participant observation, case study, and survey through interview with the help of structured questionnaire having both open and close-ended questions. Population and sample included officials and students of selected universities; from whom respondents were selected purposively. Secondary data sources comprised relevant documents and publications of government agencies, different NGOs, archive, library, education and research institutions. Results found a significant difference in education system between those universities. The private universities offered specific disciplines having job prospect in the existing job market. Public universities were renowned for their contribution to the education sector. Quality higher education referred to quality faculty, educational environment, curricula, benefits to students and teachers (stipend, scholarships, opportunities of higher education home and abroad etc).

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B angladesh was formerly considered to be a “Bottomless basket,” but now it is widely visualized as an example of successful economic growth. It has just become a member of the group of lower-middle-income countries, and it is anticipated that it will become a member of the club of developed nations by the year 2041. Nevertheless, as the fourth industrial revolution (IR 4.0) approaches, the task that lies ahead is to keep the economy growing at its current rate. Due to the country’s enormous youth population, there is no shadow of a doubt that the nation has the upper hand in the fight to survive the impending catastrophic disaster. To generate greater returns, however, it will be necessary to educate and train this young labor force so that it can function as productive human capita

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Teaching and learning in higher education in bangladesh during the covid-19 pandemic: learning from the challenges.

1. Introduction

2. literature review, 2.1. online teaching and learning during an emergency, 2.2. teaching and learning in higher education in bangladesh during covid-19 lockdown, 3. research questions.

• What were the challenges of emergency remote teaching and learning in Bangladeshi universities during the COVID-19 lockdown?
• What were the positive aspects and learning from the challenges of online teaching and learning in Bangladesh during the COVID-19 lockdown?
• What lessons did Bangladeshi universities take away from emergency remote teaching and learning during the COVID-19 lockdown to prepare for future emergencies?

4. Methodology

4.1. research participants and data collection, 4.2. research tool, 4.3. data analysis, 4.4. ethical considerations, 5.1. challenges of emergency remote teaching and learning, 5.1.1. participation, 5.1.2. pedagogy and assessment, 5.1.3. resources and internet, 5.1.4. technological skill sets of teachers and students, 5.1.5. lack of support from universities and stakeholders, 5.2. positive aspects of online teaching and learning, 5.2.1. health and safety, 5.2.2. widening participation and longevity, 5.2.3. time and financial benefits, 5.2.4. service length and adopting to the change, 6. discussion, 7. implications of the study, 8. limitations of the study and scope for further research, 9. conclusions, author contributions, institutional review board statement, informed consent statement, data availability statement, conflicts of interest.

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Shohel, M.M.C.; Roy, G.; Ashrafuzzaman, M.; Babu, R. Teaching and Learning in Higher Education in Bangladesh during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Learning from the Challenges. Educ. Sci. 2022 , 12 , 857. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12120857

Shohel MMC, Roy G, Ashrafuzzaman M, Babu R. Teaching and Learning in Higher Education in Bangladesh during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Learning from the Challenges. Education Sciences . 2022; 12(12):857. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12120857

Shohel, M. Mahruf C., Goutam Roy, Md. Ashrafuzzaman, and Rasel Babu. 2022. "Teaching and Learning in Higher Education in Bangladesh during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Learning from the Challenges" Education Sciences 12, no. 12: 857. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12120857

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Tackling the Problems of Bangladesh’s Tertiary Education Sector

LightCastle Analytics Wing

Despite massive strides in achieving admirable standards across a host of different socio-economic indicators such as infant mortality rates and gender parity in both primary and secondary education, Bangladesh still has a plethora of obstacles it needs to overcome in the tertiary education sector.[1][5] With the modern economy advancing at its current pace and automation ominously looming over the horizon, the need for quality tertiary education has never been more pronounced.

As a whole, the tertiary education sector in Bangladesh is failing to equip graduates with the skillsets current employers are demanding. [3] This “employer-skillset mismatch” translates itself into high levels of graduate unemployment. According to a recent study by the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), graduate unemployment stood at 38. [6] percent. [2] “Credential Inflation”, a phenomenon where jobs that previously did not require graduate degrees but now do, is further fueling demand for tertiary education but does nothing to address the problem of equipping graduates with the appropriate skillsets.[6] Despite this upsurge in demand, there exist depressing disparities in tertiary education attendance between the two genders as well as people from different economic backgrounds. [1]

There are 4 major pillars upon which the current problems of Bangladesh’s tertiary education sector rests.

• Lack of Quality Education: Tertiary Education Institutes (TEIs) in Bangladesh do not encourage critical thinking and primarily utilize rote-learning which encourages passivity.[1] Consequently, employers do not get the skillsets they require from graduates.
• Low Research Output: research grants as a portion of public funds is less than 1 percent. Bangladesh’s research output is considerably lower than those of other South Asian countries such as India and Pakistan, despite a strong pool of Ph.D. holders working in the country.[1]
• Inequitable Access to Tertiary Education: Bangladesh’s gross enrollment rate (GER) of 17 percent is lower than those of its South Asian neighbors in addition to being much lower than that of other Middle-Income Countries (MIC).[1] The wealthiest are disproportionately represented in TEIs and STEM enrollment rates are considerably lower than those India and Sri Lanka. [1] In addition, female attendance at TEIs is lower than that of males. [4]  

• Inadequate Financing Options: No national student loan scheme exists to help students from poorer backgrounds access tertiary education. Scholarships and waivers are the primary means of financial assistance and borrowing from relatives is a common practice for economically challenged students.[1] The former is limited in its scope and the latter is an uncertain means of financing.

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How to fix the situation.

The problems of tertiary education will have to be tackled with a robust set of institutional reforms and policy directives. Some constructive suggestions to the problem are as follows:

• Introduce modern teaching methods to universities. Using more productive teaching methods that encourage problem-solving and critical thinking will go a long way towards making graduates employable.
• Increase collaboration with the private sector and invest in better facilities such as ICT. By providing incentives to the private sector–for example, in the form of tax exemptions–university-industry collaboration can facilitate greater knowledge output as well as compensate for a lack of public funding to universities.
• Create partnerships with foreign universities. This will facilitate knowledge transfers that will also result in local TEIs being introduced to better teaching methods.
• Increase research expenditure as a proportion of tertiary education expenditure. Increasing the amount of funding available for research will increase the output of quality research papers. Facilitating collaboration with foreign institutions can help offset the lack of public funds for research in the country.
• Create opportunities to commercialize research innovations. This will incentivize research bodies and industries to work together and profit from innovation.
• Increase merit-based scholarships for students from impoverished backgrounds. Many students cannot attend tertiary education due to a lack of sufficient funds, however, this can be rectified by allocating more public funds to scholarship programs for meritorious students from disadvantaged families.
• Create a national student loan scheme, specifically targeting female students. Student loans to meritorious female students can help to achieve a more balanced gender-parity in tertiary education.
• Create demand-side incentives to promote tertiary education amongst females. For example, families will receive a monthly stipend from the government if they enroll their daughters into TEIs.
• Take steps to address food security in the primary and secondary levels of education. There is a positive causal relationship between food security and academic performance amongst students in school. If food security is addressed, students from impoverished backgrounds will perform better and this will enable them to avail higher quality tertiary education.

Successfully achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals hinges greatly on the quality of tertiary education prevalent in the country. Goal 4 (Quality Education), Goal 5 (Gender Equality, Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and Goal 10 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) all directly depend on the state of tertiary education within a developing country. If the tertiary education sector fails to rise up to the challenges of the day, the projected development of the country across various sectors and industries will begin to face severe bottlenecks. Addressing the structural problems of the tertiary education sector will go a long towards creating a more knowledge-driven, skills-oriented and equitable economy.

• 1.  Bangladesh Tertiary Education Sector Review  – The World Bank
• 2.  Nearly 39pc university graduates jobless  – The Financial Express
• 3.  National University Graduates: Lagging behind in the job market  – The Daily Star
• 4.  Education Scenario in Bangladesh: Gender perspective  – Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics
• 5.  The Growth Equity Nexus in Bangladesh: An Analysis of Recent Events  – Bangladesh Development Studies, Volume XXXVIII, June 2015, No. 2
• 6.  Why are university graduates failing to meet market needs  – The Daily Star

WRITTEN BY: LightCastle Analytics Wing

At LightCastle, we take a systemic and data-driven approach to create opportunities for growth and impact. We are an international management consulting firm which creates systemic and data-driven opportunities for growth and impact in emerging markets. By collaborating with development partners and leveraging the power of the private sector, we strive to boost economies, inspire businesses, and change lives at scale.

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Loading to Paragraph The Problem Of Higher Education In Bangladesh....

How Higher Education in Bangladesh Creates Opportunities

Tashmina rahman.

A couple of months ago, I visited a few tertiary colleges affiliated with the National University in Bangladesh while preparing the College Education Development Project which aims to strengthen the strategic planning and management capacity of the college subsector and improve the teaching and learning environment of colleges. Almost two-thirds of all tertiary students in Bangladesh are enrolled in these colleges, making them the largest provider of higher education in the country.

World Bank report on education in Bangladesh A recent World Bank report estimates that around 1.6 million tertiary students in Bangladesh are enrolled in around 1,700 government and non-government colleges affiliated under the National University. This piece of information underpins a huge economic opportunity in context with Bangladesh’s quest to become a middle-income country over the next few years. There is a strong demand for graduates with higher cognitive and non-cognitive skills and job-specific technical skills in the country. This requires an improvement in the quality and relevance of tertiary education to ensure graduates have more market relevant skills. The National University student enrolment size combined with its sheer number of colleges network all over the country make it the critical subsector for making a qualitative dent in the higher education system.

A contrast of college systems During the visits, I noted a significant contrast between the National University affiliated government and non-government colleges. They varied in components including size, student enrolment and programs offered. On entering the gates of Titumir College, a government college located in the heart of Dhaka, I was stunned by the wave of students swarming across the large campus. While Sachindro College, a non-government college a few kilometers out of the small town of Habigani in Sylhet had fewer students. Titumir college compared favorably with any large public university with over 50,000 students enrolled across a range of programs in science, humanities and business. Sachindro on the other hand enrolled around 5,000 students offering limited programs mostly in humanities and business. At every college, I had the opportunity to speak with the management and students to understand the pros and cons of everyday college life. On the good side, students shared how local tertiary colleges made higher education accessible for them without the need for relocation, especially when universities have limited seats and are located mostly in metropolitan cities. Students shared their hopes and aspirations for receiving a quality education and joining the job market as skilled professionals. “ On completing my program, I plan to join public service and serve this country. As a profession, government teaching jobs are well-reputed with good career progress ”, shared Shakil, an English literature major, at Sylhet MC College.  

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The Challenges and Solutions to the Education System in Bangladesh

The education system in Bangladesh faces several challenges. Firstly, there is a lack of quality infrastructure, including inadequate classrooms, libraries, and laboratories. Secondly, a shortage of trained teachers and a high student-teacher ratio hinder effective learning. Additionally, outdated curricula and teaching methods fail to meet the demands of the modern world. Furthermore, disparities in access to education between urban and rural areas, as well as gender inequality, remain significant issues.

Overview of the education system in Bangladesh

Despite enjoying free primary education and government-provided textbooks, over 4.3 million children aged 6-15 years are not attending school, and the dropout rates are particularly high in rural areas. The existing curriculum and infrastructure need considerable improvement to create a skilled workforce capable of contributing to the country’s vision of becoming a developed nation by 2041.

Lack of proper school facilities and classrooms

Insufficient teaching materials and equipment.

Limited access to educational technology

Low quality of teaching and outdated curriculum.

Outdated Curriculum: Another significant problem in Bangladesh’s education system is the outdated and irrelevant curriculum. The current course content does not cater to the needs of a rapidly changing world, leaving students with obsolete knowledge that may not be applicable in today’s job market. To solve this issue, involving education experts and industry professionals in the curriculum development process can help create a more relevant, skill-based curriculum that prepares students for the challenges of the 21st century. This includes updating textbooks, introducing new learning materials, and promoting digital literacy.

Absence of standardized assessments and evaluations

To address these issues, Bangladesh must invest in developing and implementing a nationally recognized assessment system, which includes regular monitoring and evaluation of student performance. This will also involve training teachers to administer these assessments effectively and equitably, as well as investing in the necessary infrastructure to ensure all students are fairly assessed. By prioritizing standardized evaluations, Bangladesh can create a more equitable and effective education system.

Lack of Vocational and Technical Education in Bangladesh

Challenges faced by girls in accessing education in bangladesh, articles worth reading:.

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How Bangladesh's education policy 'reform' ended in a curriculum crisis

The government’s decision to reconsider the National Curriculum 2022 amid widespread concerns raises questions about the future of education reform in Bangladesh read more

Bangladesh’s ambitious attempt to overhaul its education system through the National Curriculum 2022 has encountered significant challenges threatening to undermine the country’s educational progress. The recent review by the Education Ministry, prompted by widespread criticism and implementation failures, exposed critical gaps that may lead to a rollback of the curriculum, signalling a major setback in educational reform.

Failures of National Curriculum 2022

The National Curriculum 2022 was introduced with the goal of modernising education in Bangladesh aiming to better prepare students for the demands of the 21st century. However, the reality of its implementation has fallen far short of expectations. According to feedback gathered from educators across the country as reported by The Dhaka Tribune , one of the primary issues is the severe lack of preparedness among teachers. Despite extensive training programmes, many educators have found themselves ill-equipped to handle the new curriculum. The education ministry’s review underscored this point revealing that teachers were not sufficiently trained to meet the new curriculum’s demands leaving them unable to effectively deliver the revised content.

Adding to the woes, the content of the curriculum itself has been criticised for its lack of clarity. Educators and students alike have expressed confusion over the objectives and execution of the new curriculum, which has led to widespread dissatisfaction and negative perceptions of its effectiveness. This confusion has been compounded by the inadequacies in the assessment methods introduced alongside the curriculum. Critics argue that these methods fail to accurately measure student performance, resulting in ineffective evaluations that further contribute to the decline in educational quality.

Moreover, the institutional capacity to support such a sweeping change has been woefully inadequate. Many schools lack the necessary resources and infrastructure to implement the curriculum effectively, creating a significant barrier to its success. The education ministry’s review pointed out that these shortcomings in institutional capacity have made it nearly impossible for the curriculum to achieve its intended outcomes.

Government response and potential rollback

In light of these critical issues, the government has been forced to reconsider the viability of the National Curriculum 2022. On August 18, 2024, Deputy Secretary Rahima Akhter issued a notice acknowledging the curriculum’s deficiencies and marking it as unfeasible. This notice has opened the door to potentially rolling back to the previous National Curriculum 2022, a move that reflects the deep concerns within the government about the current curriculum’s sustainability.

According to The Dhaka Tribune , Education Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud has been particularly vocal in his criticism, describing the 2022 curriculum as “not feasible” and suggesting that a return to the previous standards may be necessary to stabilise the education system. The government’s immediate response includes revising textbooks for grades 4 and 5 to align with the 2012 curriculum, while continuing with the current textbooks for grades 6 to 9 until 2025 when revised versions are expected to be introduced.

The government has also decided to overhaul the assessment methods that have come under heavy criticism. The incomplete subject-based assessments will be discontinued, and new assessment frameworks are being developed to better evaluate student performance. These changes are expected to be implemented by December 2024, aiming to restore some measure of confidence in the educational assessments.

Broader impact on Bangladesh’s education system

The crisis surrounding the National Curriculum 2022 is not just a reflection of its own failures but also indicative of broader, systemic issues within Bangladesh’s education sector. The country continues to grapple with severe literacy and numeracy gaps, as highlighted by the National Learning Assessment of 2022, which found that over 70 per cent of grade 2 and 3 students struggle with basic literacy. This troubling statistic underscores the urgent need for educational reforms that go beyond curriculum changes to address foundational learning deficits.

Azwa Nayeem, chairperson, Alokito Hridoy Foundation and adviser, SAJIDA Foundation said in an article that child marriage remains a significant barrier to girls’ education in Bangladesh, with 51 per cent of girls marrying before the age of 18. This contributes to high dropout rates at the secondary level, which stood at 36.97 per cent in 2022. Efforts to reduce child marriage and keep girls in school are crucial for improving educational outcomes and ensuring that reforms have a lasting impact.

Another pressing issue is the shortage of qualified teachers. Corruption and inadequate training have led to a disconnect between theoretical training and practical classroom demands. This gap highlights the need for continuous professional development and a more merit-based approach to teacher recruitment. Without addressing these fundamental issues, any new curriculum is likely to encounter the same challenges that have plagued the National Curriculum 2022.

Furthermore, Bangladesh’s vulnerability to climate change necessitates the inclusion of climate education in the curriculum. As one of the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world, Bangladesh must prepare its students to face environmental challenges. The integration of climate education and the development of green skills are essential for equipping the next generation with the tools they need to contribute to sustainable solutions.

Path forward

As Bangladesh stands at this critical juncture, the government’s response to the failures of the National Curriculum 2022 will shape the future of its education system. The proposed revisions and potential rollback to the 2012 curriculum are steps toward stabilising the situation, but they also highlight the need for a more comprehensive approach to educational reform. Addressing the systemic issues of teacher preparedness, resource allocation, and foundational learning is essential for creating an education system that can meet the challenges of the 21st century.

Ultimately, the success of Bangladesh’s educational reforms will depend on the government’s ability to learn from the mistakes of the National Curriculum 2022 and to implement changes that are informed by the realities on the ground. Only through sustained and strategic efforts can Bangladesh hope to build an education system that is both effective and equitable, providing all students with the opportunities they need to succeed.

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Quality of Higher Education in Bangladesh: Governance Framework and Quality Issues

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NPO (Human Resources) - (2406984)

Objectives of the programme.

WHO India Country Office collaborates with the Government of India and relevant stakeholders within the framework of the collaborative Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS), to actively support the development and implementation of national health policies, strategies and plans aiming at promoting access to and utilization of affordable and quality health services and improving the financial protection against health-related risks. The Country Office contributes to providing technical support in developing national policies, strategies and activities in the area of health systems strengthening including, (i) advocating for Universal Health Coverage and building up national capacity in UHC-related matters; (ii) facilitating the adoption of evidence-based public health interventions as well as appropriate reforms/changes with a view to promote equity and accelerate the movement towards universal health coverage. Underlying Values and Core Functions of WHO: WHO's mandate revolves around six (6) leadership priorities specifying (i) advancing universal health coverage; (ii) health related sustainable development goals; (iii) addressing the challenge of noncommunicable diseases and mental health, violence and injuries and disabilities (iv) implementing the provisions of the International Health Regulations (2005) (v) increasing access to quality, safe, efficacious and affordable medical products (vi) addressing the social, economic and environmental determinants of health. The South-East Asia Region (SEAR) of WHO is made up of 11 countries, with over 1.9 billion people, with India's population of 1.4 billion. All the Member States of WHO/SEAR (Bangladesh, Bhutan, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Timor-Leste) share the common value of the highest attainable standard of health as a fundamental human right. All of WHO actions are based on this and rooted in the underlying values of equity, solidarity and participation. The mission of WHO India is to improve quality of life of the 1.4 billion people in India by supporting the government in eliminating vaccine preventable and other communicable diseases, reducing maternal and neonatal mortalities, promoting healthy lifestyles, addressing determinants of health, preparing and responding to health emergencies and strengthening health systems for universal health coverage.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Under the overall guidance of Administrative Officer and direct supervision of NPO (Human Resources), the incumbent will provide support in managing human resources for the collaborative programme/ projects of WCO-India and will perform the following duties:

• Provide HR related guidance and support the country office management in implementation of policies related to Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) and preventing and addressing abusive conduct for all personnel, including field personnel.
• Provide advice to supervisors on interpretation and application of HR policies, regulations and rules; advise on benefits and entitlements for personnel on the basis of contractual status; advise and counsel personnel in regard to responsibilities, code of conduct as well as benefits and entitlements.
• Analyse HR data and statistics with regards to HR selections, workforce planning, performance management etc. and provide recommendations for strengthening HR compliance and streamlining HR processes.
• Draft audit responses, review and follow- up on any outstanding audit recommendations related to the HR issues.
• Managing special HR projects related to implementation of new HR policies, procedures and new HR guidelines.
• Analyse and provide information of selection and recruitment activities, training and learning needs of all personnel.
• Provide guidance to hiring managers and administrative officers/assistants on all aspects related to outreach talent acquisition and recruitment, both staff and non-staff.
• Serves as an HR Representative on selection panels and ensures there is an adherence to confidentiality and emphasis on a transparent, consistent process and on promoting organizational diversity and mobility policies as an organizational priority.
• Keeps abreast of developments and latest trends in various areas of human resources, with particular focus in the areas of performance management, talent acquisition, outreach, recruitment and selection, onboarding, entitlements and benefits, including the promotion of innovative HR solutions to achieve strategic goals.
• Participates in working groups identifying issues/problems and synergies, formulating guidelines, and proposing and implementing new procedures, latest technologies, tools and practices as appropriate, including field operations.
• Manage and supervise the HR team, ensuring that the team functions transparently, efficiently and effectively.
• Support supervisors in conducting HR related trainings, induction programmes, review meetings, refresher programmes and related capacity building programmes for WCO and field operations.
• Conduct monitoring and evaluation exercise for HR processes and operations at field offices.
• Undertake regular field visits in order to keep abreast personnel and managers in all locations.
• Performs any other duties as assigned of the related area by the supervisor(s).

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Essential : University degree in Business Administration, Human Resources Management. Desirable : Postgraduate degree in human resources or MBA with specialization in human resources.

Essential : At least two (2) years of experience in various facets of human resources management, recruitment and selection, performance management, HR data and analytics and handling of conflicts and grievances. Desirable : At least four (4) years of experience in human resource planning and management in UN and other multinational organizations and with extensive knowledge of the principles and theories of HR management, HR rules, procedures, guidelines of the UN System for application at national and field levels.

• Excellent knowledge of computer application; ability to make oral and written presentations
• HR information system
• Extensive knowledge of principles and theories of human resources management
• Knowledge of HR rules, procedures, guidelines of UN system

WHO Competencies

• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
• Communication
• Moving forward in a changing environment
• Ensuring the effective use of resources
• Creating an empowering and motivating environment

Use of Language Skills

Essential : Expert knowledge of written and spoken English and knowledge of Hindi. Desirable :

REMUNERATION

Remuneration comprises an annual base salary starting at INR 3,008,136 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance, as applicable) and 30 days of annual leave.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• This vacancy notice may be used to fill other similar positions at the same grade level
• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
• A written test and/or an asynchronous video assessment may be used as a form of screening.
• In the event that your candidature is retained for an interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link:  http://www.whed.net/ . Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.
• According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible.
• Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to WHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and Manual.
• The WHO is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The WHO recruits and employs staff regardless of disability status, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, language, race, marital status, religious, cultural, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, or any other personal characteristics.
• The WHO is committed to achieving gender parity and geographical diversity in its staff. Women, persons with disabilities, and nationals of unrepresented and underrepresented Member States ( https://www.who.int/careers/diversity-equity-and-inclusion ) are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Persons with disabilities can request reasonable accommodations to enable participation in the recruitment process. Requests for reasonable accommodation should be sent through an email to  [email protected]
• An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential. WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the  WHO Values Charter  into practice.
• WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of final candidates.
• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.
• For information on WHO's operations please visit:  http://www.who.int.
• WHO also offers wide range of benefits to staff, including parental leave and attractive flexible work arrangements to help promote a healthy work-life balance and to allow all staff members to express and develop their talents fully.
• The statutory retirement age for staff appointments is 65 years. For external applicants, only those who are expected to complete the term of appointment will normally be considered.
• Please note that WHO's contracts are conditional on members of the workforce confirming that they are vaccinated as required by WHO before undertaking a WHO assignment, except where a medical condition does not allow such vaccination, as certified by the WHO Staff Health and Wellbeing Services (SHW). The successful candidate will be asked to provide relevant evidence related to this condition. A copy of the updated vaccination card must be shared with WHO medical service in the medical clearance process. Please note that certain countries require proof of specific vaccinations for entry or exit. For example, official proof /certification of yellow fever vaccination is required to enter many countries. Country-specific vaccine recommendations can be found on the WHO international travel and Staff Health and Wellbeing website. For vaccination-related queries please directly contact SHW directly at  [email protected] .
• This is a National Professional Officer position. Therefore, only applications from nationals of the country where the duty station is located will be accepted. Applicants who are not nationals of this country will not be considered.
• In case the website does not display properly, please retry by: (i) checking that you have the latest version of the browser installed (Chrome, Edge or Firefox); (ii) clearing your browser history and opening the site in a new browser (not a new tab within the same browser); or (iii) retry accessing the website using Mozilla Firefox browser or using another device. Click this link for detailed guidance on completing job applications:  Instructions for candidates

Grade : NO-B

Contractual Arrangement:  Fixed-term appointment

Job Posting:  Sep 2, 2024

Primary Location:  India-New Delhi

Schedule:  Full-time

Link to apply:

• WHO Careers Website:  Careers at WHO
• Vacancies (staff member access):  https://careers.who.int/careersection/in/jobsearch.ftl  
• Vacancies (external candidate access):  https://careers.who.int/careersection/ex/jobsearch.ftl