Education System of Bangladesh (Part 2)

 Limitation of the Study

To prepare this term paper some sorts of problems were created. That’s why this term paper suffers from limitation. Such as:

a)    As a trainee of 134 FTC I did not able to get much time.

b)    Lack of relevant books, data and journals.

c)    Scarcity of reference books in the library on the topic.

d)    As the time was very short that’s why data collection and analysis were made in a simple way.

e)    Higher statistical method is not applied for deciding sample size in proportion to the population of the study.

The research has been conducted in three schools for period of two months. Both primary and secondary sources have been used for collecting data. While selected respondents have been interviewed. For primary data, related publications, journals and newspapers have been looked up as secondary sources for acquiring necessary information. According to Gustav W. SRIEDRICH, a very rough rule of thumb for the novice researcher is that, samples of less than thirty are generally considered in adequate except for pre-testing; samples in the one hundred to two hundred range are rarely brought into question; and few research questions require samples of greater than five hundred¹. [1. Sampling theory, methods of inquiry syllabus, 514, (com, info, rutgerh. edu/ » gusf/sampling.html]. For our study considering the limitation of time and other resources 30 participants including students and teachers have been interviewed. For the lack of enough time only 30 respondents have been covered from only one district. Data collected through questionnaire have been entered into a data base designed using SPSS and frequency tables with percentages and graph have been developed to get the frequency and pattern of responses.

Data presentation and analysis:

This study is regulated for finding out merits and demerits of SBA for Secondary education in Bangladesh.

Table 1 : SBA method can make students school oriented
	Frequency	Percent
Agreed	25	83.3
Not Agreed	5	16.7
Total	30	100.0

This above table shows that the major (83.3%) respondents expressed their opinion that SBA method can make students school oriented.

Table 2 : SBA helps increase students’ presence at school
	Frequency	Percent
Agreed	21	70.0
Neither agreed nor disagreed	3	10.0
Not Agreed	6	20.0
Total	30	100.0

This above table shows that the major (70%) respondents expressed their opinion that SBA helps increase students presence at school.

Table 3 : SBA makes students inquisitive
	Frequency	Percent
Agreed	23	76.7
Neither agreed nor disagreed	1	3.3
Not Agreed	6	20.0
Total	30	100.0

This above table shows that the major (76.67%) respondents expressed their opinion that SBA makes students inquisitive.

Table 4 : SBA may introduce partiality/nepotism in evaluation system
	Frequency	Percent
Agreed	12	40.0
Neither agreed nor disagreed	3	10.0
Not Agreed	15	50.0
Total	30	100.0

This above table shows that the (40%) respondents expressed their opinion that SBA may introduce partiality and major 50% respondents have been expressed their opinion that SBA will not introduce any partiality in evaluation system.

Table 5 : SBA helps improve students’ overall performance
	Frequency	Percent
Agreed	24	80.0
Not Agreed	6	20.0
Total	30	100.0

This above table shows that the major (80%) respondents expressed their opinion that SBA helps improve students overall performance.

Table 6 : SBA helps students think independently
	Frequency	Percent
Agreed	24	80.0
Neither agreed nor disagreed	1	3.3
Not Agreed	5	16.7
Total	30	100.0

This above table shows that the major (80%) respondents expressed their opinion that SBA helps students think independently.

Table 7 : SBA increases dependency on teachers
	Frequency	Percent
Agreed	15	50.0
Neither agreed nor disagreed	6	20.0
Not Agreed	9	30.0
Total	30	100.0

This above table shows that the major (50%) respondents expressed their opinion that SBA increase dependency on teachers.

Table 8 : Teachers are adequately trained for conducting SBA
	Frequency	Percent
Agreed	15	50.0
Neither agreed nor disagreed	6	20.0
Not Agreed	9	30.0
Total	30	100.0

This above table shows that the major (50%) respondents expressed their opinion that teachers are adequately trained for conducting SBA.

Table 9 : Student-teacher ratio should be reviewed for proper implementation of SBA
	Frequency	Percent
Agreed	30	100.0

This above table shows that the major (100%) respondents expressed their opinion that student-teachers ratio should be reviewed for proper implementation of SBA.

Merits & Demerits of SBA:

1. Students are being school oriented: Students are more likely to be school oriented under the SBA method than the previous times under traditional system. SBA evaluation includes participation in 6 course works which needs students’ presence at school. Students cannot remain out of school perimeters to be evaluated this way.
2. Increasing creativeness: SBA marks are determined through assignment, oral presentation, team work etc. which help increase the creativeness of students.
3. Achieving real-life education: SBA method includes activities that allow students to be educated with real life skill and knowledge.
4. Making students confident: Under SBA method students are evaluated through various activities rather than merely their ability of memorizing. As a result they become confident and learn to think independently.
5. Problem in evaluation: In our country, absence rate of both teacher and students is very high in many schools. As the number of students is too many, a teacher cannot always evaluate all the students appropriately. For the lack of enough teachers, a teacher has to attend 6-7 classes daily. So he is unable to spare enough time to be involved in SBA activities. Again, his class performance is also hampered to make time for SBA activities.
6. Partiality: School teachers are all in all in evaluating an individual student. There is scope for a teacher to under mark or over mark a student out of partiality or nepotism.
7. Training for teachers: SBA evaluation is a comprehensive process involving a number of distinct events. Although SBA has been introduced in the country, teachers are not trained on it yet. So, evaluation is not flawless.

Findings:

The study reveals a number of impacts of implementing SBA in the secondary schools of Bangladesh including both positive and negative impacts. The positive and negative impacts are described below respectively:

Positive Impacts:

1. SBA is making students school-oriented.
2. SBA is increasing creativeness in students.
3. SBA helps students learn to think independently and with confidence.
4. SBA is decreasing the dependence on memorizing.
5. Students are being obedient to teachers.
6. Students are learning real-life, practical knowledge.

Negative Impacts:

1. Students may sometimes be the victims of teacher’s personal rage.
2. For the lack of trained teachers, SBA evaluation is not always flawless.
3. For a number of diversified activities, students are sometimes afraid of SBA system. It makes them apathetic to go to school.
4. For lack of adequate number of teachers, normal class delivery is interrupted to attend SBA activities.

 Recommendations:

1. The student-teacher ratio in the schools of our country is not favorable for the implantation of SBA. Adequate teachers should be immediately appointed to make the approach effective.

2. SBA comprises of such diversified activities that many teacher are not well conversant with the method. They need to be perfectly trained to make the method fruitful.

3. There is possibility of partiality and nepotism of teachers under the SBA. So, a provision for close monitoring is to be conceded to make it flawless.

4. Some of the various activities of SBA may be complex and terrifying for a number of the students. They should be treated in the most possible conducive way so that it does not make them avert to school and education.

5. Guardians should be aware of the fact that their children may not fall victim to any teacher, if suspected, guardians should place immediate complain to the head teacher.

6. Head teachers should sit for a guardian’s meeting after each term and try to solve the complaints placed by the guardians.

7. An element of guidance and counseling may be introduced. It will provide opportunity to know teachers’ problems while implementing the new assessment system.

 Conclusion

Education is the process by which people acquire knowledge, skills, habits, values or attitudes. During this process it is often required to measure the progress of the learners, how far the educational changes occurred among them or how these changes have been organized. In Bangladesh, secondary education is one of the most important and biggest sub-sectors in education having huge number of institutions and teachers. The rate of enrollment in secondary sub-sector increased significantly in last decade but in terms of quality, it is not up to the mark. SBA is the assessment of students’ progress which occurs, on an ongoing basis during the year, as an important part of the students’ learning. With SBA, teachers give regular feedback to their students to help them learn better. It has been implemented with the intention of developing students’ thought process, their ability to solve problems. It will also focus on students’ personal development and communicative ability. The success of the new assessment system will depend on proper management of resources and manpower. The study reveals some significant facts about teachers’ knowledge and integrity of implementing this new system of assessment. The number of participants was small but most of them provided similar type of information. We sincerely expect that SBA will bring about noteworthy changes among the students making them more capable to suit to the rapidly changing contemporary society.