As the world enters a new era of educational transformation-where technology, creativity, and practicality are the core forces driving learning-Bangladesh remains stuck in an outdated, rote-based curriculum. While our students seek new doors of opportunity with open eyes, we are handing them dusty, tech-deprived textbooks. Standing at the threshold of change, we seem to be turning our backs on the needs and realities of the future, clinging instead to a backward-looking education policy. We cannot move toward modernity while ignoring the realities of the present-and unfortunately, that's exactly the path our education system appears to be on.
No Coding in Schools, No Jobs in the Future! Today, technological skills are not just an added advantage-they are fundamental to entering the job market. Opportunities are booming in fields like AI, Robotics, Game Development, and Data Science. But to access these jobs, students must have skills in coding and problem-solving. In Bangladesh, "computer education" in schools still means learning MS Word and PowerPoint. How can we possibly compete in the global future with such outdated instruction?
While the world is being swept up by the wave of the technology-based 'Industry 4.0' revolution, Bangladesh's curriculum remains trapped in the shadows of the Second Industrial Revolution.
While the world is being swept up by the wave of the technology-based 'Industry 4.0' revolution, Bangladesh's curriculum remains trapped in the shadows of the Second Industrial Revolution. Countries like Japan, South Korea, China, and Singapore have already integrated AI, IoT, Big Data, and Robotics as essential parts of their curriculum. Yet we are still stuck teaching the "definition of an essay." We must urgently recognize how this widening gap could leave us far behind in the global race.
Coding, AI, and Robotics: The New ABCs of the Next Generation "Apple," "Ball," and "Cat"-these traditional learning alphabets are evolving. Today's children are learning Scratch, Python, Tinker, and Blockly. In Singapore, children start learning coding at the age of five. In the UK, coding has been made mandatory from primary school. In Japan, children are building robots through project-based learning. And yet, Bangladesh still refers to coding as "the future," rather than integrating it into the present.
While children in other countries operate self-made robots, Bangladeshi students are busy searching for "common questions." Our education system is exam-centric and uninspiring. There is no room for creativity, innovation, or practical knowledge. In this system, we don't produce thinkers-we produce generations dependent on question patterns. It's like the cycling story of Ragib and Adib-one is practical, the other is merely theoretical.
Let Education Be a Source of Skills, Not Just a Certificate. A certificate is merely a piece of paper if it doesn't translate into real-life skills. Developed nations have realized that scoring high is not the goal-education must prepare students for real-world success. That's why the European Union has introduced the Digital Competence Framework within their educational structures. Should we not walk in that direction as well?
Bangladesh Left Behind by Technology-Deprived Textbooks: The 2023 Global Human Capital Report ranks Bangladesh 102nd out of 135 countries. This alone reflects the harsh reality of our education system. On one side, we face the tide of the industrial revolution; on the other, our youth remain confined within the gray walls of outdated textbooks-a recipe for disaster.
Just as the English language is the global medium of communication today, coding will become the global language of employment in the near future. Those who learn coding today will get the jobs of tomorrow. Recognizing this reality, most countries have already incorporated technology education into their school curriculum from the primary level. Should Bangladesh still remain an observer in this transformation?
To Survive in a Tech-Driven World, the Curriculum Must Be Radically Changed. The time has come for Bangladesh to integrate technology, coding, and skill-based learning into its curriculum. But it's not just about new textbooks-we need a new mindset.
Here are some proposals for such transformation: Make coding and robotics compulsory subjects, Establish digital labs and makerspaces in every upazila (sub-district), Train and upskill teachers in technology
Align the education system with the national skills framework. Encourage private initiatives and startups and Launch pilot projects through partnerships with developed nations
We must act now-so our children can confidently step into a technology-driven future. If we don't bring radical changes to our education system today, we will be left clinging only to the pride of our past. In the future world, we won't just be lagging-we might not even have a place at the table.
If today's education cannot meet the needs of tomorrow, it will become a relic of the past-not a tool for shaping the future. Therefore, it is high time for education advisors, as well as all public and private education stakeholders, to take immediate action-so that the future generation of our nation does not fall behind.
The writer is Assistant Professor & Head, Department of Sociology, Rosey Mozammel Women's Honors College
