It may be interesting to note here that some schools raised tuition fees and annual fees during COVID-19. Dhanmandi Tutorials is one of them. Despite so many factors, especially in the Covid situation, Dhanmondi Tutorials stood by the parents.
Parents should not be disappointed at not being able to send their children to an English medium school. National and international curricula may differ but grammar rules are the same everywhere, whether in English medium schools or English variant schools. It depends on the teachers and the students – the way the teacher explains and the way the student understands.
Speaking English depends on practice. A student may be good at grammar but may be shy and lack practice and confidence in speaking English. English medium students speak English from a very early age in school and sometimes even at home. Speaking English is entirely a matter of practice. Everyone can develop their English by reading story books, English newspapers and magazines, listening to audio clips. No child can blame his/her parents for not providing English medium education instead of English version education. Most of the students in Dhaka University, Medical Colleges, Engineering Universities are through Bengali medium.
It’s time to wake up. In the coming days, certificate based education alone will not suffice in the long run. Skill will win the race. Also, English will be mandatory at the workplace. Be it English medium or English version, one should try to focus on self-development. Parents should not feel bad about not being able to send their children to an English medium school. Under the national boards a student has to complete the entire examination in one sitting whereas the British syllabus is divided. A student can take half of the exams in the May-June session and the rest in the January session (Edexcel/Cambridge).
There are some English version schools in Dhaka that are doing really well like Vikarunnisa Noon School & College, Ideal School & College, and Will’s Little Flower School & College. They participate and win various competitions related to English. He has won on merit. So students should forget about the medium or version and focus and move forward and believe in themselves.
*Sharda Zaman works as an observer at the British Council in Dhaka