‘Cancel decision to introduce unified edn system’

They said there should be a national debate on the issue and a concrete decision be taken based on the opinions of the majority of the citizens.

Prof Ajoy Roy, president of the Association, said the government's initiative to introduce an integrated curriculum in the secondary level keeping the discriminations in regard to socio-economic and gender issues cannot be recognised as unified education system. "But the government is propagating it unified", he added

He also said the objective of introducing unified science education is not clear as most of the schools in the villages do not have adequate science teachers and laboratories.

While reading out the keynote paper, Prof Roy said in the proposed system the higher maths has been excluded from the curriculum and the lessons of natural and social sciences have been weakened making the religion and business studies compulsory in the name of unified education.

Though the objective of the proposed system is to build the students complete citizens but it ignores the aesthetic subjects as it keeps the music and arts an optional, he observed.

Prof Akaml Hossain, vice president of the Association, said we want to create a mass awareness about the issue but if people accept the government's proposal we will go with them.

In their next programme, they will hold a discussion with the teachers and educationists on the issue on November 11.

Vice president of the Association Prof HKM Arefin, Joint Secretary Saifur Rahman Tapan and General Secretary Ashraf Uddin Akash were also present at the press conference.

The main objective of the Shikkha Andolon Mancho, an association for establishing universal education, is to establish a universal, equal, scientific and secular education system in the country.