Author: Emerson Chakma
Chakma, Emerson, 2022 Understanding the issues and challenges of achieving quality primary education in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) of Bangladesh , Flinders University, College of Education, Psychology and Social Work
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This study explores the issues and challenges of achieving quality primary education in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) of Bangladesh through the understandings and experiences of individuals who are directly associated with CHT primary education. The study also investigates how the participants understand and construct the concept of quality primary education in the context of the CHT and what they imagine to be future possibilities for primary education. In recent years, Bangladesh has achieved tremendous success in students’ enrolment at the primary level, but there is a big concern with the quality of primary education. Being the most underprivileged, culturally diverse, and remote area in the country, this situation is deplorable in the CHT. Hence, it is very important to investigate the issues and factors responsible for low-quality primary education in this region. This research interviewed five people including one Upazila Education Officer (UEO), one head teacher, one NGO staff, one president of a School Managing Committee (SMC), and one guardian (father of a primary school-going child). The understandings and experiences of individuals at different levels uncover many issues and challenges that hamper the quality of primary education in the CHT. A qualitative exploratory research method was employed to explore the issues and challenges of achieving quality primary education in the CHT. To collect data from the research participants, semi-structured interviews were conducted over the telephone. To analyse data, a phenomenological approach was applied by developing crafted stories from the interviews.
The research findings suggest that quality education occurs when there are available facilities in schools such as electricity facilities, adequate and qualified teachers, good communication, proper monitoring, and the use of modern teaching methods and materials. Quality education is related to knowledge, skills, and views that contribute to the society and nation and help to achieve quality living standards as well as increases awareness and patriotism about the history and culture. The concept of quality depends on context, and it may vary from one place to another. However, the quality of primary education in the CHT is poor and lower than in other parts of the country. The quality of primary education in the CHT is largely impacted by the centralised education system, lack of available facilities, lack of focus on the local context and realities, corruption in the teacher’s recruitment, poverty, poor infrastructure and remoteness of the area, language barriers, absence of proper monitoring, lack of modern teaching methods and materials, and shortage of adequate and qualified teachers. Moreover, parents and community are not conscious and do not have involvement with the educational process and the SMCs are not effective. However, to improve the quality of primary education, the CHT requires policy and planning that responds to the local contexts and realities.
Keywords: Quality primary education, issues and challenges, local contexts and realities, indigenous, Chittagong Hill Tracts, education facilities
Subject: Education thesis
Thesis type: Masters
Completed: 2022
School: College of Education, Psychology and Social Work
Supervisor: Dr Bev Rogers