Guardian are demanding the complete cancellation of the new curriculum, not just a suspension. They want the government to announce its cancellation in August.
The parents also asked for new textbooks to be printed in August and given to ninth-grade students by September, considering the SSC and equivalent exams.
These demands were made during a human chain protest in front of the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) office in Motijheel, Dhaka, on Sunday.
During the protest, parents expressed frustration, stating that the Awami League government punished them with police action, jail, and fines for criticizing the new curriculum. Despite these hardships, they continued to protest because they are concerned about their children's future.
The parents believe the situation in the country has changed and are hopeful that the interim government will cancel the new curriculum. They expect the interim government to introduce a science-based, modern curriculum that will help students compete in the global market.
In addition to demanding the curriculum’s cancellation, the protesters announced two more programs: demonstrations and rallies in front of all educational institutions and presenting an educational curriculum proposal to the Education Advisor of the Interim Government.
The parents made eight specific demands, including the immediate cancellation of the 2021 curriculum, reintroduction of the old curriculum, and reinstatement of the Class V and Class VIII scholarship exams. They also want new textbooks to be prepared according to the previous curriculum and uploaded on the NCTB website.
The new curriculum was introduced in various classes in 2023 and was planned to be implemented in other grades by 2027. However, after the change in government, there are talks that the new curriculum might be canceled.
