Holistic Curriculum: To establish possible equality in
society National Schools should be established
Dr. Pamelia Riviere

Promoting true equality in society, it is imperative that national
schools are established for all children in Bangladesh.
In addition, to eliminate the disparity between madrasa and public
school students, various types of madrasa education systems need
to be abolished. The current madrassa system, along with its
associated dormitories, should be abolished to eliminate
educational segregation and ensure every child has access to the
same quality of education.
In this envisioned framework, each homestead would have a
neighborhood school, creating a local and inclusive educational
environment. The national education board could consider
integrating the madrassa curriculum as an optional component,
allowing for cultural and religious education while maintaining a
unified educational system.
Furthermore, it is crucial for Bangladesh to shift its focus towards
vocational and technical education for youth. By equipping them
with practical skills, we can empower young individuals to achieve

financial independence and contribute positively to society, thereby
reducing the allure of negative influences and criminal activities.
This initiative would encourage innovation and entrepreneurship,
ultimately nurturing a generation capable of driving economic
growth. Additionally, the existing madrassas could be repurposed
as vocational and technical training centers, transforming them into
pivotal institutions that bolster a skilled youth labor force.
This change would highlight Bangladesh's commitment to
developing human capital and making tangible advancements in
various sectors. It is important to note that students attending
private English medium schools, which follow foreign curricula,
would not be included in the national schooling system. Parents
with the financial means to enroll their children in such institutions
would still have the option to pursue those educational pathways.
To foster genuine equality in education and ensure proficiency
among students, all children in Bangladesh—except those from
affluent families who have access to international
curricula—should participate in national schools. This approach
will address the shortcomings of the madrassa education system,
which has been shown to be less effective in producing skilled
manpower.
The evidence clearly supports the need for a reformative shift
towards a more equitable and efficient education system for all.

In 2017, I conducted a study with Madrassa students and teachers.
I found that the students felt marginalized and struggled with their
identity. In 2024, I revisited this issue and discovered that the
students still felt excluded from mainstream society due to their
traditional attire, such as long clothing, head coverings, and beards.
This has led to an identity crisis, as they feel disconnected from
their society and struggle to understand why they are not accepted
as part of Bangladesh. A policy should be developed to help
Madrassa students from disadvantaged backgrounds feel included
and accepted in the diverse society.

I recently came across a video featuring a madrassa student
delivering a speech about his experiences living in Bangladeshi
society. His words prompted me to reflect on the internal struggles
faced by countless madrassa students. Despite their deep affection
for Bangladesh, these students encountered difficulties in
expressing themselves due to societal stereotypes that unfairly
characterized them as extremists. It's important to acknowledge
that they've also contributed significantly to recent student
movements, with some even sacrificing their lives.

The madrassa students feel disheartened by being perceived as
potentially violent and associated with extremism. They are eager

to shed these negative labels to feel valued and accepted. The
segregated education development policy in Bangladesh did not
adequately address the root causes of the societal issues affecting
madrassa students. Furthermore, the previous government's
alliance with an Islamic party failed to reform the madrassa
education system and endorsed a separate Qoumi madrassa
education system.

The politicization of education has made marginalized madrassa
students feel excluded from society. It's evident that these students
need to feel included. Transforming the madrassa education system
into a unified model has the potential to revolutionize primary and
secondary education in Bangladesh, benefiting both the youth
population and the nation. From my experience studying at a
madrassa, I can say that progressive madrassa students, teachers,
and education planners recognize the feasibility of this
transformative reform. Their primary requirement for this change
is dialogue and agreement for an intensive overhaul to benefit the
new generations.

Embracing this proposal could significantly contribute to
peacebuilding and improving Bangladesh's primary and secondary
education systems. Bangladesh's educational development policy

should prioritize bottom-up methods and consider reforming the
entire Madrassa education system. In terms of holistic education,
which integrates the curriculum, I propose implementing the same
education system for both religious and secular education.

Since their establishment, madrasas have followed a secular,
holistic, and science-based curriculum, encompassing subjects
such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, physiology, logic,
medicine, and astronomy. It is being proposed that the madrassa
education system should transition to adopting a secular
curriculum under the National Curriculum Education System,
giving consideration to the establishment of Secular Boards. The
aim is to consolidate the current Qoumi (communal) and Aliyah
(secular) madrassas under one unified Secular/Bangladesh
National Curriculum Board, removing the need for separate
administration and providing a more standardized educational
structure.

The new education system will have a comprehensive curriculum
that includes Islamic studies, major world religions, and the current
secular school curriculum. All Islamic subjects will be elective, so

separate boards will be unnecessary. Students from madrassas
should be allowed to study the same secular curriculum under one
board during their primary and secondary education, just as they
can study Islamic subjects. Therefore, there is no need for a
separate madrassa curriculum or a separate madrassa board. If they
choose to pursue higher education, they should also have the
opportunity to continue with the same secular curriculum at
universities.

The proposed new education system seeks to introduce a
comprehensive curriculum that encompasses a wide range of
subjects. This curriculum will include Islamic studies, an overview
of major world religions, and the current secular school
curriculum. A key feature of this new system is that all Islamic
subjects will be elective, thus rendering separate boards
unnecessary.
Furthermore, the system aims to provide students from madrassas
with the option to pursue the same secular curriculum under one
board during their primary and secondary education. This aligns
with the principle that students from madrassas should have the
same educational opportunities as their counterparts in traditional
schools. By offering this option, there would be no need for a
separate madrassa curriculum or board.

Additionally, if students from madrassas choose to pursue higher
education, they should also have the option to continue with the
same secular curriculum at universities. This ensures they have a
seamless transition to higher education and can pursue their
academic interests without unnecessary barriers.

In Qoumi madrassas, there are precedents for not allowing the
national flag to be raised and the national anthem to be sung. From
my observation in Alyah madrassa, students attend the assembly
and participate in cultural programmes such as Hamd, Nat, and
patriotic songs. This issue can be solved by having students sing
the anthem without music as they sing Hamd and Nat. They can
sing while sitting inside the classroom during the scorching heat,
cold, windy or rainy weather.

Qoumi madrassa, another type of religious school in Bangladesh,
tends to discourage secular curriculum, particularly modern
science education. As a result, the madrasa education system lags
behind and fails to adequately prepare students in various subjects.
This can be attributed to the low-quality teaching in many
madrassas, often due to the lack of proper infrastructure and
science laboratories. To address this issue and ensure all

Bangladeshi students receive equitable access to quality education,
it is proposed that a unified board be established to oversee both
madrassas and secular schools. This would enable the
standardization of educational services and teaching quality across
all educational institutions in Bangladesh.

When developing the curriculum, it should be tailored to students'
talents. It's essential to recognize that every child is unique and
requires a curriculum that meets their needs. The curriculum for
average or A-category students should remain unchanged. Gifted
students should be identified by their teachers in grades 2 and 6. If
they are recognized as gifted by teachers and psychologists on the
district curriculum board, they should be placed in the gifted
program.

High schools (grades 9-12) should offer advanced math and
science-focused curricula for gifted children so that they can excel
and remain engaged with the material. Every child has unique
abilities, and it's important to support gifted children from
elementary through high school with a specific, advanced
curriculum. We need a diverse curriculum that caters to both
general students and gifted or enriched children who may not

benefit from the standard curriculum. A one-size-fits-all approach
doesn't work. We need tailored curricula based on the talents of
each child. A universal curriculum, designed holistically, means
that both religious and secular schools should maintain the same
diverse curriculum.

Students should have the option to choose between Bengali and
English language mediums as I reminisce about what we did in our
time. We transitioned to English medium in grade 11. Considering
the global landscape, I propose that students have the choice to opt
for English as the medium of instruction from grades 9 to 12 to
better equip them for higher education.

I recently came across a comment from a respected professor at
Dhaka University who highlighted that students are admitted to the
first year with English proficiency at the level of grade 4 and that
60 percent of the students are from madrassas. If this is indeed the
case, it is a matter of concern as students encounter challenges in
higher education when transitioning from Bengali to English
medium of instruction.

Therefore, it would be beneficial for students to prepare during
their high school years from Grades 9 to 12. This transitional

period will facilitate the learning of subject material in English.
This proposal would also be advantageous for gifted students as
they would be engaged in an advanced curriculum. Undoubtedly, a
lot can be improved in the education sector in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh's education system should not produce unprepared
individuals.
As previously stated, Madrassa has implemented a secular,
comprehensive, and rational curriculum since its establishment.
Therefore, it is time to transition to a secular board system. There
is no need to maintain separate Qoumi and secular madrassas.
According to the new constitution, every child must complete
Grade 12. Hence, the constitution should be amended to include a
minimum education for Bangladeshi students to compete in the
global market when they enter informal sectors abroad.
All types of madrassas should come under one board, the secular
board, which will follow the Bangladesh National Curriculum and
offer Islamic subjects as optional courses. This means that the two
education systems will merge. However, as previously discussed,
the curriculum should be tailored to the talents of the children.

The Interim government has the opportunity to lead this
transformation and integrate millions of underprivileged madrassa
students into a modern, innovative educational system that will
have an international standard. The next elected government will
continue this course. Nevertheless, the budget for education has to
be increased to 12 percent. Hence, students get enough resources,
schools can be equipped with funds for infrastructure development,
and teachers get a good salary. Teachers must feel empowered,
respected and motivated to teach students. This would allow them
to embark on a new journey guided by a Holistic (comprehensive
curriculum). Unifying the two education systems into one will
build an educated, peaceful, united nation.

Dr. Pamelia Riviere was conferred her DPhil degree on Curriculum and Pedagogy from
University of Toronto, Canada. Her study focus was on peace and conflict resolution teaching
and learning through science. Dr. Riviere is a freelance writer and analyst.