Fascist government destroyed the education system: Rizvi

BNP Acting Secretary General Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has said the country’s education system and moral foundation were severely paralysed under the previous fascist government.

He said the government focused on showing a pass rate of 90-95% rather than ensuring quality education.

“Teachers and education officials were even pressured by the higher authorities to pass students who had not written anything in their answer scripts,” Rizvi said.

He made the remarks as the chief guest at a large teachers’ rally organised by the Teachers-Employees Unity Council at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh in the capital today (8 October) to mark World Teachers’ Day.

Rizvi said if a nation’s backbone becomes weak, its entire body becomes paralysed. Similarly, if the education sector is destroyed, the entire nation becomes paralysed.

“Due to excessive politicisation in previous periods, the quality of our education has declined significantly,” he said.

He said priority was given to praising an individual and displaying their pictures in textbooks, while moral education was not given proper importance.

Rizvi urged teachers to take responsibility for educating students properly alongside continuing their movement for their demands.

Referring to a historic incident in the United Kingdom, he said ensuring the quality of education was equally important alongside securing one’s demands.

Recalling BNP’s commitments, Rizvi said the party had always maintained an exceptional balance between promises and implementation.

He said the party was aware of the legitimate demands of teachers.

“With the vision and plans our party has, the teaching community will never be deprived of their legitimate dues,” he said.