Education Watch Study 2024
Teachers- The Pivot of Change in Education
About the project
It is often said that no system of education can be better than its teachers. The implications of this aphorism in the context of primary and secondary schooling in Bangladesh in understanding and identifying the problems and finding workable approaches to solutions including urgent, medium term and longer term action have to be explored. It is not hyperbolic to say that fulfilling the ambitions the country has about its educational development and broader national development hinges on finding ways to enable teachers do their job well. Teachers need to be the leaders in respect of children’s education in the classroom, in their institutions, in the community, and, collectively, in the nation’s education system. They are also expected to be the role model for the new generation.
During the transition of moving from MDGs to SDGs, Education Watch 2015 underscored the improvement of classroom teaching to make it more interactive and joyful. Education Watch 2017 recommended bringing ethics into teacher training including new thinking about the teaching profession and supporting teachers as role model towards their students. Considering the key findings – 58.7% of secondary teachers aimed to take teaching as profession, Education Watch 2018-19 discussed on the choice of profession, income and job satisfaction of secondary teachers. During the pandemic period due to COVID-19, Education Watch 2020 presented 10-point action plan, which included activities for supporting teachers as part of learning recovery – subject/grade wise guideline, workshops /online support and incentives for teachers. Education Watch 2022 placed a high priority action that included more use of ICT based leaning materials and preparing teachers for that purpose.
A reasonable premise, subject to further probing and analysis, is that the teaching personnel provisions and management, including attracting and retaining talented people in the profession and enabling teachers to make their contribution to realise student learning outcomes is not working. The initiatives for better teacher performance that have been undertaken are essentially with an organizational and management structure and environment which itself may stand as obstacles to realizing the desired changes. What the features of this eco-system are that become barriers to change and what new ways of thinking and acting about teaching personnel are necessary need to be explored.
Based on the present context of teachers’ development British Council have agreed in extending financial support for CAMPE’s intervention focused on conducting research on teachers. It is to be noted that n course of time, CAMPE, as part of annual research under Education Watch Study presented various issues related to teachers. The Education Watch Group Secretariat has proposed that Education Watch Study 2024 (22th Education Watch Report) be conducted on the theme of teachers with the provisional title of “Teachers- The Pivot of Change in Education”. The entire study has been designed with a span of 13 months and be divided into two phases. The first phase, lasting four months (March-June 2024), aims to review the literature, finalize the methodology, and develop tools. The second and final phase will extend over nine months and encompass data collection, data analysis, and the preparation and dissemination of the report. British Council has funded the first phase while the second phase is expected to be funded by the European Union.
Objective of the project:
The overarching objective of the study is to assess the current status of teachers’ skills, and their relevance to the learning outcomes, as well as the landscape of teachers’ professional development and training, comparing with international standard. Additionally the study will explore the skills and competencies that teachers need to navigate the revised curriculum.
The specific objectives of the study are:
1. To compare teacher’s quality and performance with international standard: Teacher's pedagogical approach and teaching methods, commitment to ongoing professional development, ability and communication skills to manage the classroom effectively, cultural competency and relevant areas will be assessed in terms of international standard.
2. To assess the impact on student learning outcomes: How teacher’s quality and work environment influence student learning outcomes, including academic achievement, cognitive development, and learners’ educational attainment will also be measured.
3. To evaluate current professional development programs in the country: Examine the availability and effectiveness of professional development programs for teachers in Bangladesh. How participation in such programs affects teacher quality and job satisfaction will be determined.
4. To examine Policy Initiatives: Analyze the policies and initiatives the government and educational institutions have implemented to improve teacher quality, set and apply performance standards for teachers, provide necessary support and incentives, and enhance social esteem for the profession; assess the effectiveness of these policies in enhancing teacher quality and performance.
5. To investigate the teacher’s skills and competencies required to cope with the new curriculum: As part of this, curriculum familiarity and content knowledge, pedagogical adaptability, assessment literacy, technology integration, communication skills, including adaptability and resilience of teachers will be explored.
The first phase focused on the first three objectives (mentioned above), primarily relying on a secondary literature review. During this phase, the study explored the comparison of international standards regarding teacher professional development programs in Bangladesh. The first phase largely entailed preparatory work for the subsequent phase, encompassing tasks such as research design, tools development, formulation of a data collection plan, and obtaining administrative permission of approval from relevant directorates.
Project Period: March - June 2024
Amount of Project Grant: GBP 25,000
Supported by: British Council
