The Government’s much cherished ‘Vision 2021’ is no more a fancy eye-catching term rather now in 2022 digitization has become a core part of most of the public service delivery system. The main purpose of the digitization is not to enforce digital equipments everywhere but to ensure quick and efficient response to the service recipients. As many as 25000 government offices are available and provides necessary information through world’s biggest web portal ‘bangladesh.gov.bd’. Digital technologies are in use in elementary schools for some time now but the government is planning to widen the area of implementation of ICT in primary schools. To make the ground-breaching change successful we need to assess the present scenario in the schools as well as the global demands.
One of the earlier success in introducing digital technology is ‘multimedia classrooms’. Primary level students have had the glimpses of digital world on a bigger multimedia screen. But the reality is what the students are seeing is just a tip of a iceberg compared to what still hides them. Bangladesh is gearing up for the 4th Industrial Revolution and the primary education system needs to cover up a distance to reach the level of a developed nation.
As we stay the elementary education of developed countries, we find that ICT is core part of the teaching methods and curriculum. So the question is are we ready? Are our teachers students and management ready for the leap? The direct answer is not yet, but we have identified key areas to look into before starting the engine fall throttle. There are also some challenges that we need to address over the course of time.
Most of the primary school children in this country are yet to touch a computer with their own hands. On the other hand an American or English child always finds a computer in the school and in the home as well. Thus their learning process becomes easier. The general IT knowledge of the teachers are below average. Although smart phones and high speed internet are booming in this country, the use of internet and technologies are basically limited to using social media and reading newspapers. So all the teacher must have the basic capacity to use computers.
At the very beginning the children must know the basic use of mouse and keyboard. It is fundamental for a seven or eight year old child because modern software made for children concentrate on these two computer parts. It will enable them to use child-sensitive painting software. A child can learn to control a cursor on a monitor by moving a mouse do some action by mouse clicks.
The basic keyboard knowledge can be gained through open source software that teaches via interesting games. Some thoughts must be put into teaching Math and English by using ICT; the two major subjects Bangladeshi students struggle passing.
Primary school children should be introduced to the wealth of educational materials available on internet. In the modern world basic ‘C’ programming is also taught in primary level. This can be done here with software where no long keyboard typing is needed.
Many Bangla contents are also available in open sources. So the discussion summaries that two core issues need to be sorted out to effectively implement ICT in primary education; firstly, well organized training needs to be given to primary school teachers and secondly, there should be at least a small computer lab in all primary schools.
Currently the government is taking initiatives to the above programs targeting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 and a developed nation by 2041; the changes are coming to notice.
