I have had the privilege of studying at Cornell University and conducting sessions for graduate and PhD students both there and at Michigan State University. Through my work, I have met hundreds of academics, researchers, and Nobel laureates. One lesson stands out clearly: education is the backbone of a nation’s strength and resilience.
Countries that invest in science and education build societies capable of confronting crises, adapting to change, and creating prosperity. Those that fail to protect the integrity of their education systems pay a heavy price in inequality, stagnation, and lost potential.
This is especially urgent for Bangladesh. The world faces prolonged uncertainty: global inflation, geopolitical conflict, technological disruption, and climate pressures are not temporary shocks, they are signals of deeper structural changes. For countries with fragile institutions, the difference between resilience and vulnerability will depend largely on the quality of their education systems.
As a father of a young daughter, this reality often leaves me uneasy.
For decades, private coaching centres have grown from a supplement to a parallel education system. Today, the real classroom for many students is no longer the school, .it is the coaching centre.
This has profound consequences. First, it weakens formal education. When students believe real learning happens outside school, classrooms lose authority, teachers face pressure, and regular lessons become secondary.
Second, it creates inequality. Education should reward talent and hard work, not the ability to pay for extra tutoring. Students from less affluent families start at a disadvantage, even within the same classroom.
Third, the growth of coaching has coincided with recurring controversies: question leaks, manipulation, and insider advantages erode public trust. What should be a public good: a fair and credible education has become a commercialized marketplace.
Parents bear the brunt. Families spend heavily on coaching, often not for better learning, but out of fear that opting out will leave children behind. Meanwhile, dedicated teachers who entered the profession with public duty in mind struggle in a system where prestige and reward lie outside the classroom.
This path is neither inevitable nor irreversible. Bangladesh has repeatedly achieved rapid transformation when political leadership aligned with public interest: expanding girls’ education, improving literacy, and increasing enrollment are examples. But today’s challenge is different: restoring credibility, fairness, and purpose within the system itself.
Under the new leadership, the Ministry of Education has a crucial opportunity to act. Reform must start by re-centering the classroom. Teachers should be empowered, supported, and incentivized to deliver high-quality education within schools.
At the same time, the sprawling coaching industry cannot remain beyond oversight. Policies to enforce ethical standards, limit conflicts of interest, and reduce dependence on private tutoring are essential if formal education is to regain its central role.
This is not just an administrative issue it is national challenge. The future competitiveness of Bangladesh, its ability to innovate and thrive, will depend on the intellectual strength of its young people. That strength cannot be built through a fragmented system where education functions as a marketplace.
As a parent, I want my daughter to grow up in a society where opportunity is not determined by who can pay for the most coaching hours. I want her and every child to inherit a system where learning is fair, meaningful, and grounded in strong institutions.
Education should not be an industry built on anxiety. It should be the foundation of a confident nation. Reclaiming that vision requires courage, reform, and leadership. The cost of inaction, however, would be far greater.
The writer is Regional Head of Asia, WePlanet International, E-mail: [email protected]
