Why we need to restructure how universities teach

Illustration: TBS

Education is the driving force behind the progress and prosperity of a country; the more educated its population is, the more civilised and advanced it becomes. Bangladesh must improve in various indexes, such as the Gross National Index, Human Assets Index and Economic Vulnerability Index. Ethical, value-oriented and job-focused education is the key to developing the necessary knowledge and skills. It must be forward-looking and purpose-driven, instead of memorisation for passing exams. 

A larger part of the population in Bangladesh will remain at working age until 2030, the same as the UN's SDGs target date. Using such a "demographic dividend," education can contribute to human development and the economy by aligning curriculum with a changing world's demands. 

The crisis in quality education in Bangladesh is evident from the high rate of unemployed graduates and the low ranking of local universities. The CEO World Magazine's "Best Education Management Countries" list includes India and Myanmar among 93 countries, but not Bangladesh. Our universities have failed to build a proper educational environment and culture for various reasons. One of those is industry involvement in the curriculum. The term 'industry' refers to employment-generating sectors, not factories.

A country's development-led prosperity is impossible without the universities linking curricula that build knowledge, skills and character to market. The right education provides knowledge aligned with current needs, enhancing graduates' skills, work attitude, and adaptability, thereby increasing their employability. 

In a knowledge-based society and economy, the industry-academia relationship will help reduce the unemployment rate among educated graduates (15%, per the Bureau of Statistics). A recent roundtable revealed that the full potential of underemployed and unemployed people—a burden on the state and families—remains unutilised. 

Thus, despite having hundreds of universities and thousands of graduates, employers depend on the neighbouring countries, not finding the desired skills and attitudes among the graduates. From conversations with many CEOs, I learnt that they seek less theoretical knowledge but such skills as integration, communication, collaboration, self-confidence, learning thrust, and a positive mindset in job applicants. 

An Anchal Foundation report revealed that about 80% of university students are dissatisfied with the quality of education, which must be practical and life-oriented. The National Education Policy 2010 states that education must be creative and applicable to achieve economic and social progress.

Students must appreciate the role and objectives of higher education, like self-discipline and personal transformation, be respectful of and interested in the work, and become thoughtful, socially responsible citizens committed to serving humanity. They should pursue active learning, critical thinking, hard and soft skills, entrepreneurship, etc. 

To achieve this, there is no alternative to restructuring the content-based curriculum to focus on skill development and attitude-building within a healthy educational culture. Attention should be given to learning outcomes, teaching-learning activities, and assessment. For example, the target of teaching math should be developing a logical mind and problem-solving capability. 

In addition to using education for reform, we should facilitate humanistic education focused on ethics, human rights, social welfare activities, and global awareness to produce patriotic citizens and leaders. This can be achieved through general education (GEd) courses, co-curricular activities, and team-building.  

The recently introduced Outcome-Based Education (OBE) system ties these concepts, the full benefits of which remain untapped due to the ignorance and reluctance of many stakeholders. It is more important for students to apply the knowledge gained from their studies (learning) than the subject contents, ensuring that the 'learning outcomes' are practical and sustainable. 

These demonstrable and measurable competencies or desired 'outcomes' should be defined first, and inside and outside classroom activities should be held to achieve them. It is also essential to measure the learning of students by using effective and contemporary assessment strategies. 

Traditional exams relying on subject contents and rote memorisation do not foster students' creativity and analytical abilities. Bookish knowledge cannot always solve real-life problems and can stifle learning. For instance, rather than asking to 'describe' the reign of Siraj-ud-Daula, learners could be asked to 'explain' the reasons behind his defeat. 

Problem-based assessments can help students translate knowledge into real-life situations. Instead of waiting for a job, architecture or physiotherapy students could become self-employed, which is possible with a  work-centered education.

Although the number of universities in Bangladesh has increased, the quality of higher education has fallen. Amidst the post-2024 euphoria, we could reform education to enhance the capability of graduates and the quality of institutions to tackle the oncoming challenges. 

Life-orientated, contextual, and objective education will develop students holistically, enabling them to become well-rounded (knowledgeable, skilled, and virtuous) with the potential to contribute to life and society. 

An appropriate environment would instill innovation and creativity in everyone, helping them build character and acquire necessary knowledge and skills. The students could actively participate in learning activities to develop long-lasting skills and work ethic. Quality education will be inclusive; every student should be able to individually and collectively contribute to the family and the community. 

Students will be prepared for their careers so that they can adapt and contribute to any situation through self-development and lifelong learning. The Bangladesh National Qualification Framework can be extended for a life-orientated and contemporary higher education system to build a competitive, innovative, and progressive nation. 

The purpose of higher education, besides teaching, is to create new knowledge through research, enhance students' skills, and provide opportunities to apply that knowledge and skill in society. As qualified graduates are essential in nation-building, universities must become centres of human development, innovation, and national progress. 

As an inseparable part of society and the state, they must remain abreast of industries, culture, business, trade, and other sectors so that skill acquisition and life-oriented activities complement education. To transform our universities into high-quality institutions, focus should be on research-based knowledge through a life-oriented curriculum.

Besides disseminating knowledge, universities should contribute to the progress of industries and the economy, producing skilled participants in the national and international spheres. Through collaboration with the production and job sectors, universities can provide students with the scope to make their qualifications suitable for the real world and utilise skills and innovative thinking. 

Industries—in commerce, communications, construction, or science—will bring their problems to universities to find solutions employing the knowledge, experience, and research of the university populace in a win-win situation for both.

In 1986, while developing a proposal for a private university in the UK, I came across the concept of "town and gown." Collaboration between employers and academics is the best way to align curriculum with the workplace and real-life demands. 

At the very least, regular feedback from current and prospective employers can keep the knowledge and skills up-to-date. Employers can identify the skills needed for the future workplace and the shortcomings of current graduates (which will guide curriculum revision). They can update universities about the new technologies in use and the areas of dependence on foreigners. 

Additionally, universities will know about contemporary techniques and skills that the students should be trained on; teachers may also master and use emerging technologies. I involved 'industry' in designing curricula in Oman 25 years ago, an approach still ignored in Bangladesh. Curricula should be live, continuously improving, and stay relevant to the job sector, ensuring that graduates are either job-ready or enterprising.

On the other hand, employers can utilise the universities to develop cutting-edge technology, modern theories, or processes. Universities as hubs for technological and intellectual innovation made the US the science and technology leader, with the highest number of Nobel laureates in their labs. Industries, businesses, and military sectors benefit by applying advancements through research and development at universities funded by them. Universities help with patenting or setting up spin-off companies to commercialise research results. This motivates academics to pursue and share new knowledge with students and peers 

The third advantage of the "town and gown" is that industries can equip interns and others with the required workplace skills, like Ahsanullah University's collaboration with two companies. In Bangladesh, the concept of apprenticeship, except in certain professional fields, has not been strongly established. Through apprenticeships, training, joint projects, and study tours, future graduates become familiar with the work environment, processes, and challenges of their potential employment and gain hands-on experience. By developing "soft skills" like collaboration and communication, the trainees enhance their employability and careers.

The Education Advisor pointed out that we have failed to create human capital. Even after 54 years of independence, we remain suspended between multiple education policies as each education minister wanted to stamp their mark. However, the sector needs fundamental changes. We must focus not just on rote knowledge but also on work-orientated, virtue-building education that cultivates useful skills and values. 

While developing students' personalities, our universities must aim to become knowledge centres. The reform initiatives have given hope that the country can establish a functional and ethically robust education system, which will continuously evolve to meet global challenges and develop well-rounded, capable citizens and service-oriented leaders. In alignment with individual, social, and national needs, Bangladesh's universities can significantly drive the country's progress and development.

Sketch: TBS

Dr Mohammed Mahbubur Rahman is the Pro-Vice Chancellor at Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology. He is an international curriculum and accreditation expert 

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.