The process of recasting national education curriculum is now at an advanced stage' with the authorities launching workshops to finalise the draft of the projected modifications, sources in the National Curriculum and Textbook Board said.

In the curriculum the system will be divided into two sections. One is Lower Secondary — comprising classes six to eight — and the other is Secondary and Higher Secondary. from classes nine to twelve, the sources said.

The new curriculum is expected to be introduced phasewise fn the schools and colleges of the country by next year, a senior expert Of the Board told The Dailv Star.

The expert — f^ateh Matin — said that the new curriculum will replace the age old system of education with one of modern international standard.

The structure has been designed in such a way. claimed an official of the Textbook Board, that the students will be taught to develop moral values and arrange self employment and will be imparted knowledge in the context of development of the country.

Senior experts of the board pointed out that 44 subject committees have been formed to finalise the draft of the curriculum. The members of these committees are renowned experts in the field.

Once the draft pass through

the experts scrutiny, said an offi< ial. writers will be se lectori to write the books according to the specifications.

Dr Towfique Khan Majles. assistant programme director of curriculum, said teachers will lie trained to adopt the new system in their classrooms.

Speaking at the first workshop held in the city recently to finalise the curriculum for English and Bengali. Robert Shrubsail, an expert and advisor on leaching English in Bangladeshi schools, from the British Council, said that under the old system, after twelve years of studies a student was hardly able to communicate in English. But. he added, with the modern method, which emphasises communication, a student should not only be able to speak, he would also have no problem in writing and understanding the language.

"It will give the studenis an easy access to English language for gradually moving on to serious context of the subject. ' he said.

Experts, however, feel that although the n^w method is quite scientific, but there are impediments in training the teachers at a national level.

A senior educationist who requested anonymity, said the authorities are confronted with a huge task as regards training the teachers who are used to traditional method of teaching.