Pre-Primary and Primary Education in Bangladesh
Introduction : Children are the future leaders of our country. Tomorrow they will be at the helm. Therefor, if we expect quality leadership from them, they must be brought up properly. The role of environment is essential for the proper up-bringing of future leaders. Metaphorically speaking, young children are like flower-buds. As buds requires proper care (watering, weeding), young minds need the right kind of nourishment for the blooming into a full-fledged flower. Only education-both formal and informal-can ensure a congenial atmosphere which is very important for the holistic development of our children. It is through the formal education at educational institutions that they will grow up both physically and mentally. In such physical and mental transformation. Pre-primary and primary stages play a vital role as they form the foundation of all subsequent stages.
Pre-Primary Education : Pre-primary education refers to a kind of learning provided to children above 5 years on the eve of the inception of formal primary education. It is a preparatory stage of learning. Through this education, a child can learn a lot of things about life and these things may be proved invaluable in the later life.
With a view to ensuring (নিশ্চিত করা) quality education for all, Government has decided to develop a unified curriculum for pre-primary level. NCTB is working with the support of Ministry of Primary and Mass Education (MOPME), Directorate of Primary Education (DPE), related govt. and non-govt. organizations to develop the curriculum. Central Coordination Committee headed by Secretary – MOPME, Technical Committee headed by Director General – DPE and Curriculum Development Committee by Member – primary curriculum wing, NCTB have been developed and started their job to develop pre-primary curriculum.
Objectives and Aims : The purpose of pre-primary education is to prepare our children both physically and mentally so that they can receive formal education properly. This kind of education received together with other will create interest in our children about education and school. At the same time the little kids will be aware of the rules and regulations of school.
Primary Education : Primary education is considered vital in our national life because it makes a skilled manpower. It provides us a sturdy plinth on which we can build up our life. So, it is imperative that government extends free and compulsory primary education to all children irrespective of social economic problem, geographical location and physical and mental shortcomings. Standard primary education can make a person prepared for meeting the challenge of the world around him/her.
Aims and Objectives : The aims and objectives of primary education are given below :
(a) To create an auspicious environment for the children so that they can attain both physical and mental development.
(b) To develop human values in our children.
(c) To make a uniform and universal system of education for all.
(d) To ignite an immortal sense of patriotism in the young minds.
(e) To provide our children with essential knowledge of living.
(f) To create a sense of dignity towards labour and fellow human beings.
(g) To create equal opportunities for all including the disabled and under-privileged children.
Conclusion : Education is one of our basic needs. It is the pre-requisite for any kind of development. Education gifts us a rare sense of humanity that differentiates us from the order species in the world. It is education which shows us the right path in life. Pre-primary and primary education are the initial stages of our education-life. Through the reception of proper kind of Pre-primary and primary education, we can choose the right path in our life and advance towards a bright future.